The room was hushed. Just the soft scratch of pastel on paper and the odd gentle sigh. You could feel the concentration in the air, thick with focus and quiet determination. Heads up, arms outstretched to easel, eyes narrowed. Outside, the sun suddenly blinked out from behind a cloud — but here in the Bluebird Studios barn, no one was aware of that. The world was only about making pastel marks on paper.
It’s in moments like this that I feel most alive as a teacher — when I can sense art workshop breakthroughs coming. That tiny shift. The beginning of clarity. A student’s perspective tilting just a little, until suddenly, the whole picture looks different.
And over the past two weeks, I’ve been lucky to witness quite a few of these breakthroughs!
A Flurry of Breakthroughs
From Toronto, Ontario — with ICAN’s Thumbnail Bootcamp and the short-and-snappy Two-Colour session — to Santa Fe for four days of Expressive Colour with a Limited Palette at Bluebird Studios, each workshop brought its own flavour of learning and lightbulb moments.
There was the student who rarely did thumbnails. Hesitant at first, not quite sure how such a small pattern of shapes could possibly help, she did the work I’d asked. And then something shifted. She squinted. She started to rearrange shapes. And then: “Ohh! Now I see it — this one’s so much more interesting, isn’t it?” A small notation on paper. A big win.
Or the one who admitted, a little sheepishly, “I don’t really do value. It’s the colour I go for.” And yet, by the end of the two-colour session, she stood back from her piece, eyes wide. “I get it now — the colour isn’t the star, it’s the value that’s doing the work.”
Exactly.
And then in Santa Fe at Bluebird Studios — a swirl of adobe, turquoise skies, crazy thunderstorms, and vibrating energy — there was boldness. Artists stepping waaaaay out of their comfort zones, pushing their palettes yet keeping them limited, letting go of “getting it right,” and yes, seeing the value of thumbnails. One student looked at me after a long day and said, “I didn’t know I had this in me.”
These are the kinds of art workshop breakthroughs that stay with me – and fill my heart.
What I See While They’re Learning
For me, teaching isn’t just about demonstrating techniques or sharing what I know — it’s about being present for their learning and the process of painting. The mess. The frustration. The joy. The risk.
I see the courage it takes to show up — especially when you’re not sure if your marks are “good enough.”
I see the care in every thumbnail, even the scratchy ones that never go beyond the sketchbook.
I see the light behind someone’s eyes when they realise they can see value in colour.
And while yes, I’m paid to do this work (thank you!!), it’s these moments that are my real reward. These art workshop breakthroughs — quiet or bold, whispered or shouted — are what fill me up and fuel me forward.
I’m grateful to each and every student who walks through the workshop doors. Who picks up a pastel, tries something unfamiliar, and lets themselves lean into the learning. Thank you for letting me witness your courage. You are amazing!
And now I’m home and reflecting on these past two weeks and the richness I receive from my students and their ahas and breakthroughs. And I’m wondering, have you had one of those moments lately? When something just… clicked? I’d love to hear about it — let’s celebrate those art workshop breakthroughs, however small they may seem.
Until next time!
~ Gail
PS. Are you taking a workshop anytime soon? You may want to read this. I start almost every workshop with a review of these 14 ways. So much of art-making is about mindset!
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