I captured these photos of two teen students on Saturday and clearly there was something compelling going on. If you look carefully, the artwork they’re making is “in process”.  But, if you take a look at their eyes, there is an unmistakable sense of concentration that is magical to me.

People ask me all the time why I believe in the importance of teaching art. I can give you million answers, but the truth is, when people are fully invested in making artwork, you can feel the emotion, the power and the learning that this level of concentration provides. You are responsible for making decisions and dealing with overcoming challenges that feeds your brain, heart and soul.

Everyone celebrates the finish artwork; the moment where we see the smile when someone shares their outcome. It’s like the celebration after a touchdown. What I love even more, is watching the quiet journey that people go through in the studio that allows them to achieve great outcomes. All I need to do is look in their eyes to know that they were in a compelling place.