A Dream Come True: Periodic Indulgence

That's me in the above photo, hamming it up in an overhead mirror. A small dream was realized last night when I taught my first class at the Salem Art Association. I have long felt that teaching a class there meant I had arrived (whatever that means). But it has been a dream and now it is a reality. Lorraine Gaucher is the Community Arts Education Coordinator for SAA and when I pitched my idea for a new class, she eagerly and enthusiastically said YES. The class is ArTfuL pLaY and here is the description I used to promote the class:

Are you creative but don’t consider yourself an artist? Are you an artist but in a slump? Do you sometimes look at the classes for children and wish they had something like that for adults? Well, this series of classes will satisfy your desire to be creative and artful in a playful, non-threatening setting. We won’t be making fine art, but we will spark your creativity and have fun. Join Dayna for six weeks of creative exploration and experimentation. Be surprised each week by the following artful activities: Mask-making, blind contour and touch drawing, mandala records, embellishing a soft cloth doll, creating a life plague using paper clay, and Collage Up a Storm.

The Salem Art Association is located at the edge of Bush's Pasture Park, an 89-acre urban park in the heart of Salem. Their offices are located there, as well as an art gallery and the annex where art classes are held.

I had a restless night of sleep a couple of days ago and came up with the idea to write creative quotes on paper placemats. When it was time for introductions, everyone shared their quote.

Did someone say supplies? Our first project was making masks, so I got to share from my plentiful store of goodness.

The process:

And then their finished masterpieces!

It was a wonderful group of six women. Three have taken classes from me in the past, and three were brand new to me. One of the ladies, Beth, shared that this class was her periodic indulgence, which she said was a "different and crazy thing she does for herslef each month." My class is this month's indulgence. I'm honored.