BUDDING artists will unite in the digital space as a popular Limestone Coast children’s art class is delivered online.
Relish Art Room owner Anna Mitchell has taken on the challenge of adapting her classes to an online format with more than 60 children tuning in to her weekly sessions, which are posted to social media.
Ms Mitchell said the lesson plan had been altered to suit children of all ages and include materials which may be found at home in a bid to make it easily adaptable for parents.
The art teacher has also moved all her regular classes online for next term and plans to offer a materials pack to last students until the end of term.
“There are challenges that come with doing this such as myself getting out of my comfort zone and going on video rather than holding the lessons face to face but there is also the challenge of learning this new technology,” Ms Mitchell said.
“However I am starting to see it as a new opportunity because I have been able to reach students from across the region who would not normally be able to attend my classes.
“I went from all my classes having to stop to turning it around into a positive.”
Ensuring the classes were budget friendly to households, Ms Mitchell said she focused on simple techniques for her students and encouraged the use of objects already found around the home.
“It is also about making it interesting for them and incorporating things such as animals and other areas that children are usually excited about,” she said.
“For the people who were already coming along to the classes it gives them that continuity because it still gives them a familiar face and for everyone else it is a good way to get the best out of the materials they will use and maintain that creativity.
“I am also trying to choose activities which parents may not have thought about either so it also enables them to get involved with it and give both the parents and the children confidence to have a go.”
Ms Mitchell operates her art classes from home, typically as an after school, weekend and holiday program.
