Read these first and then feel free to ask me more: email
How long can I access the classes?
All of the classes are self directed and all of the classes allow lifetime access!
What is the format for the classes?
Every week day there will be a post filled with inspiration, prompts and photos to inspire your creative journey.
There will be a video towards the beginning of the week with demonstrations, plenty of inspiration from artists, nature, color. Another will follow later in the week
Each day there is a lesson or video with new material for you. Work at your own pace and share your WIP or finished pieces when you are ready to do so. There is no pressure to produce – just to play and process the info. If you do create something that you have questions about or want feedback please share in the classroom under comments!
There is also time for questions and answers in the posts as well as plenty of “going further” options for everyone in the classroom.
There is never pressure to finish each week’s assignments but plenty of positive, process oriented teaching methods that will inspire you to continue at your own pace.
Just like my bestselling book Art Lab for Kids – this course is filled with inspiration from artists in our artstream gallery and the world around us. You don’t have to own the book but it goes well with the course. Learn more about all the books Susan has written.
Do I have to share my work?
Not if you do not wish to. Sharing is a big part of learning and it is encouraged. It is an optional feature and is made safe by sharing in our private classroom environment. . Susan will be discussing aspects of the work that is shared in the classroom including individual feedback on each piece that is shared. Other positive feedback is encouraged from students too!
The atmosphere of Susan’s live classes at artstream studios is fun, positive and productive . Meanness and negativity of any sort will not be tolerated within this course. We are all here to learn and grow! Selected work from Susan’s current live classes in painting will be shown in the classroom videos for an expanded experience and will allow you to meet even more students just like yourself!
What are people saying about Susan’s teaching style and books?
By the time my third daughter was born, I started feeling a strong need for a creative outlet. I knew I was a pretty good mom, but thought somehow this would make me a better one. I signed up for a painting course with Susan, and it was amazing. Weekly classes equipped and inspired me to pull out the brushes during nap-time everyday. The therapy a paintbrush and some color can provide can’t really be described. It needs to be experienced. And Susan has a really nice way of teaching the basics while facilitating others in finding their own unique styles. I am so glad I listened to my heart and signed up for that initial class. It has enriched my life and spilled over into blessing my family’s life as well! – Amy Darling
I first encountered the work of Artstream students at the Rochester Public Library. At that time my son was a young and precocious artist. I had previously enrolled him in various “art classes” elsewhere, none of which had really fed his enthusiasm. When I saw the student art (adult and children’s) in the library I was floored – every piece was unique. It was obvious that someone was nurturing individual artists. I pursued this someone and found a teacher who was talented, generous, visionary, and hard working. It is sometimes said that the best teachers are invisible in the classroom. Susan Schwake of Artstream is the invisible muse. A fine artist in her own right, it is her teaching which has had the greatest impact on my family. I have watched her studio grow from its basement in a strip mall to a wonderful gallery on Main Street, where a variety of courses are offered for artists of all ages, interests and abilities. Now, my son is graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, and an illustrator living in Baltimore, and I am taking the occasional classes at Artstream. –Pat Frisella
“I took Susan Schwake’s beginning painting class. She was a great teacher and got me started with all of the proper materials and painting vocabulary too! She is a terrific artist herself and both her knowledge of, and enthusiasm for the visual arts, is unmatched. I shocked even myself at what I was able to accomplish in this introductory class! I will definitely take another class in the very near future.” – Cathy Taylor
My kids took classes with Susan a number of years ago and I’ve always wanted to take some classes too. I recently took part in encaustic and gelatin printing workshops and enjoyed them both immensely. As a beginning artist I felt comfortable in these classes that also included more experienced artists that were attending to learn a new medium. Having all the materials included made it easy to take part. Susan’s teaching style of introducing the topic and giving us time to experiment and then teaching a bit more with more experimentation worked really well for me. I can’t wait to take more classes! -Cyndi Paulin
Here’s a little bit more about my teaching and art making experiences as Artist In Residence, ARC (which I developed) and reviews of my best selling books.
What materials do I need to participate?
A computer
Email account
Phone or Camera or scanner for sharing your work (optional)
Different materials for different classes – as simple as possible – printmaking with blocks and silkscreening have more materials than monoprinting. If concerned please email me!
Once you are registered you will have access to the list of materials and options for each course you choose. You may have many on hand already!
Where do I sign up?
You can use the buy now button and through Paypal you can pay from anywhere in the world. A password will be mailed to you which allows you to access the classroom within 24 hours. Once you have paid there are no refunds. Thanks for understanding!
