Spinning Forward’s Post

"Social Media Won’t Help You as an Art Teacher... Or Will It?" I used to think social media was irrelevant to my work as an art teacher—until one Instagram post changed everything. That post not only brought attention to my art but opened up a world of opportunities I never thought possible.  Social media has become a powerful tool for me to grow my art classes, diversify income, and showcase my work globally.  How social media can benefit you as an art teacher: 1. Build Your Own Audience – Connect with students, parents, and art lovers worldwide. 2.Generate New Opportunities – Get noticed by galleries, collaborate with artists, and land commission work. 3.Diversify Income – Offer online classes, workshops, and sell art products. 4.Create a Virtual Portfolio – Show off your work and teaching style, attracting new students. 5.Teach Globally – Social media helps to reach wider audience and expands your reach. I’ve personally gone from teaching in a classroom to running my own studio and working with international students—all thanks to social media. Need help getting started? Book a 1:1 Art Teacher Clarity Call with me, https://lnkd.in/gCC84b5n and I’ll help you build your social media presence and create a plan to launch your art studio.

5 Creative Goals I will Set for 2025 (as an Art Teacher) 1.I will create a unique workshop that reflects your teaching style and expertise. 2. I will build a digital portfolio to showcase students’ and my own artworks online to attract more visibility and opportunities. 3. I will learn a new medium and explore a new art technique or material. 4. I will engage more on Social Media to connect with my audience. 5. I will focus on personal growth may be take up a new course, or dedicate time to my own art practice. And on priority I will focus on goal #5! what about you? Share your goal in the comments!

I am sharing my experience of over 40 years of working intimately with children through the arts. This is for parents whose children love to draw and paint and educators of young children: Somebody in a Homeschooling group asked - Mother: "Hi, I'm looking for online art classes that are reasonably priced. Would love to get some recommendations, thank you! Hobby Art Classes probably, it's for my 7-year-old who has a huge interest in art. I'd like to have him enroll somewhere, which will him build foundational skills in different techniques." Deepali Parmar: There will be NO foundational or any other development possible in hobby art classes. The child will be further confused and lose contact with his natural drive/voice/ creative force. If at 7 your child is showing exceptional attraction, talent or natural flair for drawing or painting then consider that you may have a gifted child at hand. They need very different kind of nurturance. Mother: What would you suggest for a child starting out? DP : I am glad you asked - It may be an in-depth reply but that's the only way I know. Until age 7 a child has imbibed "enough experience" of the world/environment they are born in. At 7, now they take to "expression" by drawing, writing, talking sports or whatever means they begin to fixate on a few mediums. Here's the part you may find hard to believe - a healthy well nurtured child will usually fixate only on ONE medium, one style or tool of expression AT A TIME. Once they exhaust that "idea" or inspired state of being they may move to another medium or subject altogether. Contd on FB - https://lnkd.in/dHCM4kuq

They think they know me all so well, But behind this mask I secretly dwell. I hide my thoughts, my feelings too, I hide so well from all of you. – Zoe Howarth Sculpture from-Anton Smit is a contemporary South African sculptor. He is known for his large-scale sculptures and public art exhibitions. Behind every mask lies a story—a tapestry of experiences, emotions, and resilience. Anton Smit’s ‘Mask’ collection invites us to explore the layers we wear and the lessons they hold. As a life skills trainer, I find profound wisdom in these sculptures:- ¨     Self-Reflection: - Just as each mask conceals, it also reveals. I encourage you today to take out some time, and reflect on your own masks—the roles you play, the fears you hide, and the strengths you possess. Try to write them in a notebook under each heading. ¨     Empathy: - These masks also remind us that everyone wears one. We need to see beyond the surface—to recognize the hidden struggles of others. ¨     Adaptability: Masks change with context. Life skills involve adapting—knowing when to reveal vulnerability and when to project strength. ¨     Authenticity: Beneath the mask lies authenticity. At every given moment nurture self-awareness and guide yourself toward embracing your true selves. Let’s unmask the potential within! 🌟 Or you can DM us to understand more: - 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 8 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴, 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭-𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘮 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴. 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴. #LifeSkills #AntonSmitArt #EmotionalIntelligence #SelfDiscovery #personaldevelopment #EshaJain #linkedinEdu #CreativeIndia #creativevibes #artfulthinking PS. Image taken from social media source. Kindly DM for removal.

#supportartist #supportskill #parentingguide #artlove #artist #arteducation #indiaeducation #parents Support for an emerging artist can come in many forms, including financial, emotional, and practical assistance. Below are five ways parents can help nurture an emerging artist: 1. Financial Support: This can include helping with the cost of art supplies, studio space, or funding for exhibitions and performances. If the artist is pursuing formal education, parents may also help with tuition or other related costs. 2. Encouragement and Emotional Support: Parents can provide the motivation to persevere during tough times, offering reassurance and validation. Artists often face self-doubt, and a positive and encouraging environment can help them remain confident in their creative pursuits. 3. Exposure and Networking: Parents may help their child build connections within the art world by attending galleries, introducing them to influential figures, or encouraging the artist to share their work online or in local shows. Networking plays a crucial role in an artist's growth and visibility. 4. Space to Create: Providing a space where an artist can freely create—whether it’s a quiet room, a dedicated studio, or flexible living arrangements—can significantly boost their productivity and focus. 5. Practical Guidance: Offering support in areas outside the artist's creative work, such as managing finances, handling marketing, or organizing exhibitions, can help them navigate the complexities of pursuing a career in art while maintaining their creative flow. These forms of support can provide a solid foundation for an emerging artist to thrive.

In these turbulent times it’s easy to forget, if we ever knew, that children have the human right to play. (We adults have it too, though we tend to call it the right to rest and relaxation…)  In fact, children’s right to play has equal value with all their other rights under the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, including the right to life. Why? Because children need to play to flourish and thrive. It links closely with their freedom of expression. I'm delighted to say that past-master of playful expression, former UK Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell, has stepped to the fore to support the Seen and Heard project that I’m collaborating on right now with Amnesty International Polska and University of Malta, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Humboldt University of Berlin) and University of Wroclaw. Chris is providing a wonderful creative spark, from running online drawing workshops for children of over 50 nationalities, to illustrating a book that will come out of the project. 🙏 Last week – oh lucky me! – I was part of an online drawing workshop with Chris and children in Malta, Germany and Poland. We asked Chris to help children explore their right to play and have fun. He did and they did! (So did I, as it happens.) You won’t be surprised when I say that drawing is a wonderful way of exploring and expressing feelings, of breathing in and out and simply being. It also made me think that there’s another right involved here: freedom of thought, which is a kind of play with our minds. Because without our imaginations it would be so much harder to dream another world, express our ideas and feelings, or step inside someone else’s skin – whether they be mermaid, tree, dragon or human. To imagine positive change and work for a better world. So – drawing supports children’s right to play, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and probably many more (I’m thinking equality, for example). Whatever, it was an utter joy. You can read my blog about it at Seen and Heard https://lnkd.in/eZtAmCzx and on my consultancy site, Red Page https://lnkd.in/eb_Eq47B. #childrights #righttoplay #freedomofexpression #freedomofthought #ChrisRiddell

🎨 Just finished a wonderful session painting this vibrant bouquet of flowers! 🌸🌼🌺 Art isn't just a hobby—it's a powerful tool for lifelong learning. Engaging in creative activities like painting offers numerous benefits for adult learners: 1. Stress Relief: Art provides a therapeutic escape from the daily grind, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. 2. Cognitive Function: Creating art can improve problem-solving skills and enhance memory. 3. Emotional Expression: It offers a unique way to express emotions and experiences, fostering emotional well-being. 4. Community Building: Art classes and workshops create a sense of community and provide opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals. 5. Self-Confidence: Completing an artwork boosts self-esteem and confidence, encouraging personal growth. Let's embrace the transformative power of art in our lives! 🌟 #ArtEducation #LifelongLearning #AdultEducation #CreativeExpression #ArtTherapy #CommunityThroughArt

Drawing for Your Rights: Empowering Children Through Art and Awareness Our project, Drawing for Your Rights, has been an extraordinary journey into the hearts and minds of children. Through this initiative, we aimed to teach children about each article from the Convention on the Rights of the Child and facilitate an art workshop where they could express their understanding and emotions through drawing and painting. Art is a powerful tool for communication, especially for children. It allows them to express complex feelings and thoughts that they might not be able to articulate with words. By asking children to create drawings based on the articles of the Convention, we provided them with a safe and creative outlet to explore and convey their perspectives on their rights. One of the most profound outcomes of Drawing for Your Rights was the insight it provided into the lives of the participating children. Through their art, we were able to discover that some children were being exposed to abuse. The therapeutic nature of the activity enabled these children to reveal their struggles and fears in a non-verbal way, triggering a process that allowed us to intervene and seek help for them. This experience underscored the critical role that art can play in uncovering hidden realities and initiating necessary actions to protect children from harm. How do you interpret the children’s art you see in your life? Do you look beyond the pencil? Come to our exhibition @l27_art_project and see some of the art we got to experience when we taught these children about their rights! #educaciondiversa #drawingforyourrights #educateforequality #art #artlearning #healingbrains #teachingrights

Audio descriptions provide a verbal explanation of visual components and text in a video. They include descriptions of transitions, movements, gestures, costumes and props used. Including audio descriptions in your multimedia content enables people who are blind or have low vision to access and understand information. For information on how to write effective descriptions, refer to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 (WCAG 2.2) at https://lnkd.in/g5gA4TzQ #Accessibility #JobAccess #AccessibleDocuments #DigitalAccessibility #Inclusion #EmployMyAbility #DisabilityEmployment #InclusiveDesign #DigitalInclusion

🎨 Making Art History Come Alive! 🌍 In my lessons, I’ve introduced "Artist of the Week" to spotlight both Emirati and international artists. Using Adobe Express and CapCut, I’ve created videos where Vincent van Gogh becomes the host, sharing art insights in English, French, Irish, and more. This creative approach connects students to art history, movements, and theories while aligning with our school’s mission to prepare them as global thinkers. By merging technology, creativity, and storytelling, I aim to make art history exciting and memorable while fostering cultural appreciation and critical thinking. What creative strategies do you use to engage students in your field? Let’s share and inspire each other! 💡 #ArtEducation #GlobalThinking #InnovationInTeaching #ArtHistory #CreativeTeaching