Covid-19: It has a Silver Lining! Once I got over the initial shock of cancelling all our travel plans for 2020, I realized that I now had an opportunity to spend more time in my studio, learning online and teaching. Being a member of a number of guilds (Canada and USA) it meant that I could participate in a number of wonderful classes, demos through the guilds as well as signing up for classes directly with instructors I might otherwise not have the chance to study with. So far, I have taken classes with Cherryl Moote, Yvonne
Westover and Romi Banks, Reggie Ezell, Shari Blaukopf, my friend Ruth Korch, Amity Parks and Carol DuBosch. I have, via Calgary and Edmonton Guilds, taken mini classes with Cora Pearl, Julie Wildman and David Gasser and look forward to the host of other instructors that they have lined up. I am going to sign up for Randall Hasson’s Vintage Lettering Styles (bent nib) in November and work my way through those classes (5)!
Covid has also allowed me to be more proactive in developing online content and I have taught and am teaching (October) my interpretation of Ben Shahn’s lettering, Bensgothic; I have done a number of demos (calligraphy and painting) online and so far all have been very well received. It is a challenge but one that is welcome. I have a new document camera on order as I write this.
I also joined Bluprint (now Craftsy) and Skillshare as they had great pricing at the beginning of Covid and note they are still offering some special rates. This is also a great time to take on some of the online challenges. Some have prompts issued monthly, bi-monthly, weekly, and daily! It’s a great way to complete small projects and still keep up your skill sets. It is also very inspirational. The prompts are left up to your interpretation and it is amazing to see what others do to meet the brief.
I feel that we will be dealing with Covid for some time to come and offering classes online is a viable option and is here to stay. I like not having to schlep supplies to a workshop! I do miss the personal connection, but I also get a front row seat with online classes. There are lots of pros and cons and you will have to weigh these out for yourselves but if you see a class you are just dying to take – do not hesitate – just go for it! You just might be surprised how much you enjoy it. - Violet Smythe IG @v.smythe 15
