On Teaching and Perception
The Sky School of Art is grounded in the belief that drawing and painting are not only technical disciplines, but sustained practices of attention. Teaching, in this context, is inseparable from perception itself. It is a way of learning to see more precisely, and of staying with experience long enough for it to become form.
The school is structured around studio-based learning that combines technical instruction, long-form making, and embodied attention. Students are supported in developing both skill and process, with time given to working slowly and consistently rather than producing for immediate outcomes. Attention, repetition, and sustained observation are central to artistic development.
A core part of the pedagogy is the recognition that perception is not fixed. It is shaped by habit, memory, emotion, and environment. In the studio, students learn to notice these shifts and work with them rather than against them, developing awareness of both the external world and the internal conditions that shape seeing.
Each class begins with a short grounding practice, typically involving attention to breath, body, presence, and intention setting. This is not separate from artistic work, but a way of establishing the conditions for focused making. From there, students move directly into drawing or painting, with emphasis on sustained looking and material engagement.
This practice is open to artists at all stages of development. Some are beginning their exploration of drawing and painting for the first time, while others are already practicing artists returning to or deepening their studio work. Courses are not divided into beginner, intermediate, or advanced levels, but are structured around shared engagement with perceptual and studio-based inquiry. Each participant is supported at their own point of entry, while working within a collective studio environment that values depth, attention, and process over comparison or speed.
Feedback is integrated into the studio process rather than structured through formal critique. More reflective and interpretive discussion may take place in dedicated end-of-semester “Soul Purpose” sessions, where students consider the direction and meaning of their work.
Students are also encouraged to observe cycles beyond the studio, including shifts in light, atmosphere, mood, and season. Journaling prompts may be used as a simple tool for noticing these changes over time.
The Sky School of Art developed from years of teaching in both independent and post-secondary contexts, as well as earlier studio-based initiatives focused on small-scale, community learning. Across these experiences, a consistent observation has emerged: when attention is slowed and stabilized, both technical and conceptual development deepen significantly.
The goal of the school is not speed or output, but depth of engagement. It offers a structured studio environment where students develop their work over time, supported by instruction that integrates technique with perception and process. Teaching here is understood as a shared practice of attention, where both instructor and students are continually learning to see more clearly, and to translate that seeing into form.
