It's fun for me to look back at how my class has evolved; I now see it less as an event and more as a living entity. When I first began teaching, students had six weeks to create their project; five weeks to design it, learn to break the glass and adhere it and the last for grouting. We only met once a week. And so there was stress and pressure to finish. Those first couple of years I felt that I had to keep projects moving along in order to stay on schedule - after all, once that six weeks was up a new class began in the shared space where it was held. And God forbid any of the students had unexpected life circumstances pop up that required make - up classes - it sometimes felt impossible to make it all work.
I knew this wasn't optimal; it's not easy to take an art class. Almost every person who walks through the door immediately confesses that they are not "artistic" or "creative." "I can't even draw a stick figure," is what people tell me. But I know that's not true. Because it is my belief that anyone can do anything if their desire is great enough, and if they have the right environment and support system. The trick is opening up, becoming comfortable, and discovering your own style. I see people limiting themselves because their work isn't like their favorite artist, when in reality there is greatness in the vision and technique we all possess. It's that tricky confidence thing that holds us all back. I know this from experience - my high school art teacher once declared me hopeless. It has been my great pleasure to prove her wrong. But her words shook my confidence, and I had to work hard to erase 
them from my heart and mind. She did me a favor though, as I have been determined to help people find their way in the often times intimidating world of creating art.
After I had my own teaching space, I had an epiphany; why did any class have to end? Why should someone limit the amount of time they work on a project? I know from my own professional experience sometimes I work quickly, while other times I needed to experiment, try different things, with the focus being the quality of my work, and not simply finishing as quickly as possible. I took the time constraints away, began charging per project instead of per session and added an extra day a week, allowing the class to be "drop in," so that students could work on their projects around their own schedules. Immediately, the quality of the work being produced improved. And I've been seeing amazing results since. Some students call it their "therapy," as there is truly something soothing about breaking apart glass, then reassembling it and creating beauty. There's also a camaraderie within the class, people of all ages, male and female, from different places come together with the common goal of creating, supporting each other, telling stories and laughing. We learn from each other, and even though we are all in the same room together week after week, no two projects are the same. Not even close. It's a kind of magic as I watch person after person shed their insecurity and face their creative fears. Every person leaves with a beautiful piece; most return to create more.
It's been seven years and I can not imagine my own work evolving without mosaics class. I am inspired by every person, keeping the class going year round in order to not lose momentum. And I must be doing a pretty good job - most of my students continue making mosaics, seven have begun their own mosaics business. I look forward to the next seven years - the class has moved to my most favorite and magic place - the third floor of the Avalon Theatre. We will work under the beautiful stained glass dome, as musicians make their art on the stages below us. We can take breaks out on the balcony that overlooks my beloved downtown Easton. I can't even imagine what's to come.
