just had to share

[coyote]

I'm not sure if this is appropriate to this forum. For the past year I've been writing "The Art Page" for our local monthly newspaper, "The Mountain Yodeler". I generally do a story about a local artist, print a drawing in the "Young Artist Corner" by a kid under 18, and write a basic how-to-draw column called "Draw What You See".
Anyway, I got an email this morning from my editor, forwarding this letter she had been sent. I thought it was really touching, and I wanted to share it with you.

To the editor:
On Todd Cooper, Resident Artist
As a former long-time resident of Lake Elizabeth, I have known your resident artist, Todd Cooper, and his family for years. After casually reading the February issue of The Mountain Yodeler, and leaning in closer at Todd's section, "Draw What You See," I was once again impressed with his drawing tutorial, and felt compelled to give credit where credit is due as Todd is generally not one to toot his own horn.
As a teacher and moderately creative person, I have put Todd's philosophy on drawing to work in my classroom numerous times. Perfect in its simplicity and teachable in its practicality, his direction to trust your eyes and not your mind's eye while drawing people or things has proved so true with my students.
I have utilized Todd's tutorials with fifth, sixth and seventh graders, all to the same end: a universal feeling of artistic satisfaction. This is especially meaningful for the kids I teach as they are chiefly Spanish-speaking and therefore more limited in conventional methods of self-expression than their English-speaking classmates.
Todd's method of art instruction provides these children with a feeling of real success in school - not an everyday thing for many of them.
So, on behalf of almost 100 wonderful children and their teacher, thank you, Todd. Your devotion to your craft and generosity in sharing trade secrets are much appreciated!
Always learning,
Kathy Billet

[llis]

How wonderful! That's what teaching is all about.

If you ever care to put some of your old articles into the article publisher here at WC! I'd be happy to help you.

[Studio224]

Fantastic!!!!

[llis]

How about it Todd? Could you share some of your articles with WC?

[coyote]

Hmmm. That's been suggested before, but I think I'd be embarassed to present them to a bunch of artists. They're REAL elementary and short, only a few paragraphs each...and there's no real continuity from one month to the next.
Maybe if there was a way to post PDFs of the entire pages, so it could all be seen in the context of the newspaper... but I don't think I've seen that done here at WC.

[llis]

Hey... send it to me and I'll see what I can do to get it posted. You know, some of the best instruction comes from simple ideas and explainations. I'm sure that is why your students love you so much. You must be an awesome teacher.

[rapolina]

Originally posted by llis
Could you share some of your articles?

Congratulation coyote! a big satisfaction!!!

I am interested in your article too, as I have a daughter who loves drawing, and i'd want help her.
you you can, send it privately if you think you can't poat on wetcanvas!!




thank you and ciao,
rapolina.

[coyote]

OK, I'm working on it. I've gathered the text from 10 columns. I still have to convert all the .tif illustrations to .jpg, recreate a couple of them, then tackle the article publisher.

[llis]

Great! let me know if you have any problems at all with the article publisher and I can help you. I can even get you started once you make your first file folder and first article page.

I'm sooooo excited!