SHARING THE JOY OF PAINTING FROM TOOWOOMBA TO THE WORLD
OF COURSE YOU CAN DRAW! YOU JUST NEED TO LEARN HOW!
Drawing and painting are skills that can be taught and the more you practise, the better you get. A great way to build your skills is to join a group and practise, practise, practise. In the days of COVID, the best way to do this is online.
Local artist and art teacher, Anna Bartlett, says it’s her mission in life to share the joy of drawing and painting. “I believe the best way to learn painting is to paint, that the only wasted paint is the paint left in the tube, and that art should be all about encouragement, not pressure,” she said. With this joyous philosophy in mind, it’s easy to see why Anna’s “Shiny Happy” drawing and painting classes have been a huge hit in Toowoomba. PRE-COVID she was running live classes and retreats as well as offering over 20 online art classes alongside a growing membership of her “Paint Along of the Month Club”. “Once COVID hit I took everything online and haven’t stopped!” she said. “I began with free, weekly ‘Shiny Happy Drink and Draw’ sessions, via Facebook Groups – basically to help cheer people up. Then I added more online sketching classes to my catalogue and hosted private and corporate events with people around the world via Zoom and Youtube. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with one woman telling me that she lived in a hotspot in the US, and only really stopped crying to do my online classes. I had people joining me from Ireland, Spain, Canada, India and South Africa, as well as the US, UK, New Zealand and locally. “It’s a fantastic way to learn a new skill that helps you notice things you’re grateful for, and also productively takes your mind off the stresses of daily life. Anna films from her home studio with a lighting and camera set-up to ensure professional quality. “I want to make students feel like they’re right here with me – able to see every pencil line and brush stroke. It’s like having me in their home with the benefit of a pause button!” From flowers, cakes and shoes to landscapes, you’ll find a class to suit you. They cost from $11 (‘Draw a Blue Wren’) to $44 for a single Paint Along, to $264 for an annual membership of the Paint Along of the Month Club (12+ paintings per year plus a private Facebook group and bonuses). www.shinyhappyartonline.com