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Michelle Slee's avatar

This piece really resonated with me. I had a similar experience the year before my GCSEs when my Art teacher did not like the way I had responded to the class exercise and held my work up to the class as an example of how not to do it. I was crushed. Instead of really looking at what I had done she stuck rigidly to the terms of the lesson and was cold in her approach. Up until then Art had been my favourite subject and I had intended going to Art school. After that I just felt so disillusioned and hurt. When it was time for GCSE options & Art clashed with French I allowed people to persuade me to drop Art for French. My belief in my self and passion for the subject had gone. And it didn't come back until I was in my 40s! I try not to be bitter about that teacher (although even as I write this I can feel myself getting angry). I know I need to be calm and breathe, I'm an artist now. Passion and purpose have a way of finding their way back to us thank goodness. This was a great read. Thank you for sharing.

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Negar Kamali's avatar

I had a somewhat similar experience with art. When i was 20 and had just started my BA period, i used to go to a private art class. I thought she was as good an art teacher as she was a Tai Chi instructor. But i was wrong (she was a control freak and SHE HERSELF had to finish my every drawing). That's why i neither took any more classes with her, nor took up art again for some years. About seven years ago, i found another art teacher whose style was different and more welcoming. My recent paintings are much more beautiful than my drawings (see my Notes).

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