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Frances S.'s Photo
Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo Frances S.'s Photo

Classical Art Techniques and Creative Self-Expression for Any Age
Frances S.

5.0 (946 ratings)

3,571 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $125
Contact Frances
Response time: 7 hours

About Frances

Bio

As a Fine Art tutor I specialize in supporting the creative growth and unique self-expression of motivated students with lessons based on each student's particular interests and needs.

Employing a lesson structure that is both systematic and success-oriented, I present technical strategies that bolster expressive competency, visual thinking and creative problem solving. Over twenty years of experience facilitating the creative process for individuals and groups informs my lessons allowing me...

As a Fine Art tutor I specialize in supporting the creative growth and unique self-expression of motivated students with lessons based on each student's particular interests and needs.

Employing a lesson structure that is both systematic and success-oriented, I present technical strategies that bolster expressive competency, visual thinking and creative problem solving. Over twenty years of experience facilitating the creative process for individuals and groups informs my lessons allowing me to be effective with a wide range of students, including those who think that they have little artistic ability. I'm certain any motivated student can produce beautiful work when matched with a technical approach that suits their temperament and their level of dexterity. Consequently, I welcome students at any level from "absolute beginners” and those with special needs or disabilities to "gifted" or "talented" students seeking advanced technical training; even seasoned art professionals find me as they search for an expanded skill set or guidance on a particular project.

The following list highlights possible areas of focus for art lessons. It is by no means comprehensive. If you have an interest not listed here, please inquire. All concepts and skills in these areas are presented in developmentally appropriate ways:

-Historic techniques in drawing, painting and printmaking
-Rendering from life and skills for realism
-Methods of abstraction and surface design
-The basics of linear perspective
-Color theory and historic palettes
-Archival collage and mixed media
-Preservation framing
-Transcending creative blocks and/or preventing blocks from developing
-Portfolio building
-Professional practices and career development
-Art exhibitions: curating, exhibition design and installation
-Finding joy and fulfillment in artistic self-expression
-Developing intuitive capacity through the creative process

My expertise as a TEACHING ARTIST draws on a bachelor’s degree (BFA) in painting and drawing with a minor in art history, a s

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Education

State University College at Buffalo (SUCB)
Fine Art, Graphic Design
the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
Masters
New York Academy of Art (NYAA)
Masters

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $125
  • Rate details: $125 per hour online for 1:1 instruction over zoom or face time $50 cancellation fee if 24 hour notice is not provided
  • Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 4/25/2012

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

Art Theory

Art Theory

My MFA required study of historic and contemporary trends in figurative art, including lectures and critiques with art world luminaries. My love of Aesthetics includes personal reading, a well developed studio practice and work experience in major museums and art galleries.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

As a Board Certified Art Therapist, I spent 20 years working with special needs children. I have worked with many students on the Autism spectrum. My Masters' Thesis in Art Therapy was an in depth case study of work I conducted with a teenaged boy challenged by Autism, a language disorder and other expression- limiting conditions. Though my practice with handicapped children remained broad and did not become a specialization in autism, I have over the years helped many students with developmental disabilities ranging from mild to severe.
Career Development

Career Development

I enjoy supporting high school and college age students in the early stages of their career development. I review portfolios and provide constructive feedback as well as guiding portfolio refinement for those seeking scholarships. Additionally I coach students interested in a career in Art Therapy. My students are thriving in or have graduated from some of the top art schools in the country, including: -LaGuardia School for the Visual and Performing Arts, New York, NY -The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Chicago, IL -Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Providence, RI -Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Savannah, GA -The Pennsylvania Academy of Art (PAFA), Phildaelphia, PA -Parson's, New York, NY -NY School of Interior Design (NYSID), New York, NY -New York University (NYU), New York, NY -Grand Central Academy (GCA), New York, NY -Lesley University, Cambridge, MA
College Counseling

College Counseling

In the mid 1980's I was a graduate student in Fine Art at a State University under a full scholarship that included a teaching assistantship. For 2 years I taught a 2 semester course in the foundations of design, including color and composition. Part of my responsibilities was to prepare undergraduate students to submit portfolios in application for consideration as art majors. Though my students had diverse interests from architecture, to theater arts to graphic design, to name but a few, ALL of my students were accepted into the major of their choice. I was told by the departmental directors that this had never been seen before & that repeatedly the best portfolios seen in the reviews were from my students. I was then placed on the curriculum development committee. In my second year I replicated these outstanding results of each student reaching a level of excellence and a professionalism in presenting their work that won them acceptance and recognition. Since then, in other capacities I have supervised interns in various schools. I have 2 masters degrees from premier art schools, including a recent MFA from the NY Academy of Art's prestigious graduate school of figurative art. I am dedicated to supporting students reaching their personal goals and finding the opportunities best suited to their personal interests and predispositions. I am able to give constructive feedback on the following areas critical for a successful portfolio: 1. the quality of the imagery/statement/ideas presented int heart 2. technical facility and understanding of color harmonies, balance and compositions 3. quality of execution 4. professional standards for materials and presentations 5. relevance to the desired field...see below Given the fact that I have 4 art degrees in different disciplines I am qualified to coach students seeking to apply to colleges or for jobs in: 1. fine art painting, drawing, printmaking & sculpture 2. illustration & cartooning 3. fine crafts including embroidery, garments, fiber arts, ceramics, jewelry 4.
Drawing

Drawing

I hold a Masters of Fine Art degree from a prestigious academy that teaches the “Old Master’s” techniques for realism (NYAA). Additionally, a graphic design degree in illustration has given me an understanding of drawing from a commercial perspective. Perhaps most importantly, experience has shown me that drawing is a medium for the expression and processing of deep emotional feeling and intention. Thus, my knowledge of drawing is extensive and historically-based as well as spontaneous and personal. I have effectively nurtured drawing abilities in "gifted" individuals as well as in those who evidence inexperience, disabilities or special needs. I excel in supporting drawing students in developing original concepts on graphic as well as thematic levels. While copying is a powerful tool for learning, ingenuity is requisite for success in the art world. One must integrate both the lessons of history and the pulse of contemporary practice. I make sure that my students emerge from their technical studies with the ability to cultivate and present a vision that is uniquely their own. In personalized drawing lessons I teach core concepts and methods including: -additive and subtractive drawing -dry pigment application in graphite, charcoal, chalk, conte, crayon, and pastels -wet pigment applications in ink or other aqueous media -mixed media -tonal drawing -line drawing -contour drawing, blind contour, continuous line contours and cross contouring -technical drafting with ruling pens, rapidographs or other mechanical drawing tools -field sketching -sight sizing, visual measuring, establishing correct proportions, etc. -drawing in color
Dyslexia

Dyslexia

As a registered art therapist I have a Master's Degree in Art Therapy and 30 years of field experience working with children across the developmental spectrum and in most major disability categories. I have had students with mild dyslexia as well as those with profound versions of neurological uniqueness. Often dyslexic students are highly visual. Art experiences/processes can help them learn in non-traditional, alternative ways. I have had gifted dyslexic students go on to be successful professional artists. And, I have facilitated a gratifying quality of life practices for very limited students suffering dyslexia in addition to other kinds of cognitive limitation. Addressing limitation through strengths is important. For dyslexic individuals, visual thinking and artistic expression can be absolutely critical to their living a balanced and productive life, as well as to succeeding academically with whatever accommodations may be necessary. I am adept at building on visual/artistic strengths and facilitating art in a holistic, respectful manner that helps the whole student grow & maximize potential. As a tutor I can assist dyslexic students directly, and as a adjunct professional in educational and mental health fields, I can assist parents advocating for their dyslexic children by building a portfolio of the child's work and making recommendations that could assist the student's team to better understand/serve the student in school. Task analysis on one of my specialties, that is, breaking complex processes down into single steps where students experience success at every juncture. This kind of systematic thinking can then be generalized to other kinds of learning and problem solving. Often this has been helpful for dyslexic students who do not understand things in usual ways. Thus, they can learn new ways of analyzing, planning ahead, expressing themselves and building self confidence..all trough art making. Additionally I have had success using the MONART method for art education and visual literacy.
Homeschool

Homeschool

My 25 years experience facilitating the creative process for students across the developmental spectrum, including students with special needs, is supplemented by a Masters of Fine Art degree in Historic Drawing and Painting Techniques. My lessons integrate skill based demonstrations, expert facilitation, in-the-moment-feedback and opportunity for open ended exploration of new techniques by the student. Thus, creativity and skill building are balanced, both actively supported to maximize integration of information and confidence in application. In addition to an MFA from a top Figurative Art Academy in New York City, I hold a MA in Art Therapy and NY State License as a Creative Art Therapist. My MAAT included graduate coursework in Human development, including the graphic development norms for child art. My 900 internship hours included specialized instruction and supervised application of child-centered methodologies as applied to art and play modalities. Consequently, my homeschool approach to art lessons takes into account the aptitudes and interests of the child and the related coursework or special interests parents provide. Your questions will be happily addresses in a complimentary consultation call prior to scheduling an initial in-home session.
Needlework

Needlework

I was taught hand sewing and embroidery at the age of 5 and garment construction in my teens. My Mother and Grand Mother were both seamstresses. I make clothes, quilts and original, one-of-a-kind sewn dolls (human figures and animals). My sewn work can be viewed on Etsy.com. Just enter ClothCollaborators in the search box.
Painting

Painting

With a Master’s of Fine Art degree in historic painting techniques, and an established exhibition record over thirty years long, I have much to offer painting students. In addition to teaching the skill-set required to paint confidently, and without technical difficulty, I specialize in supporting personal expression, so that each student is painting meaningfully from their own unique vision. My experience in illustration and art therapy affords me a wide range of tools for understanding how painting operates on personal, interpersonal and commercial levels. Thus, I help students meet their own goals, each realizing a different ambition through paint. In customized lessons, I teach painting from the following perspectives: -contemporary painting techniques like "process painting;” -historic painting techniques, including direct "a la prima" painting executed in a single session or indirect techniques involving the slow building of an image in thin layers -techniques for perceptual rendering and realism/naturalism -spontaneous painting and other expressionistic methods -oil painting on canvas or panel (including teaching canvas stretching and making your own grounds) -water-based paints including tempera, acrylic or watercolors -large-scale murals, for exterior walls, interiors or stage sets -modular works where components are generated separately and assembled -mixed media where paint is one of many components -making paintings to last and/or preserving those you have created -orientation to hazardous materials in painting, and best practices in safety
Sewing

Sewing

My grandmother had a business making custom draperies. When I was five years old, she began teaching me to embroider. My mother, who sewed wedding gowns and dance costumes, taught me garment construction five years later. By the time I was a teen, I was making and embellishing my own clothes. I am adept at machine sewing as well as handwork. As an undergraduate, I included courses in fiber arts and folklore in my electives. My father’s family is from Poland, and for my work in folklore, I embroidered projects based on research of Polish ethnic costume designs and traditional stitches. Professionally, I have taught basic sewing skills to children and adults, and have organized large projects where toys were stitched and donated to children in a therapy center. I understand the recreational usefulness of sewing as a relaxaing activity as well as its practical applications for building a wardrobe or business. Furthermore, using sewing as relationship or community-building process has been a longstanding interest of mine. Personalized sewing or fiber arts lessons may include: -quilt-making (hand or machine piecing, quilting of layers and binding) -garment production -design basics for fiber arts -fashion illustration -pattern making -decorative hand stitching including embroidery, crewel and needle point -hand stitched applique -doll making and stuffed animals created from original drawings -bead work for embellishing fabric and/or creating beaded jewelry
Special Needs

Special Needs

With 20 years experience in special education settings as a board certified art therapist, I have taught art to over 500 students, in 5 states and the District of Columbia. I have worked extensively with issues of child development, disability and adjustment issues. At this time I am most interested in tutoring students who need assistance with: 1. flourishing as artists, the gifted and talented in art, with or without a concurrent disability 2. developmental disabilities NOT involving significant acting our behaviors, DD children or adults 3. Assisting individuals in need of building confidence & self esteem through their art making, very important when disabilities limit progress in academics. 4. basic attention and focus skills...prerequisites for studying 5. basic functionality...sequencing, planning, memory, improved motor control 7. art basics, color mixing, exposure to an array of materials/processes 8. self motivated artists of any age & any skill level I cannot accommodate: 1. oppositional-defiant behaviors or other patterns of non-compliance 2. involuntary participation...as in the parents insist but he child does not want to participate 3. aggression, acting out, disrespectful or violent behavior in any form 4. severe motoric impairment, as in CP & neurological disorders 5. assisted toileting 6. Profoundly limited IQ's 7. ESL where the student cannot fully understand what I am saying in English 8. thought disorders 9. self injury my studio is not handicapped accessible. I could work with a student in a wheelchair in their own home if able to speak/comprehend, with hand dexterity and the ability to self-monitor and toilet independently

Examples of Expertise

Frances has provided examples of their subject expertise by answering 4 questions submitted by students on Wyzant’s Ask an Expert.

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Frances S.'s Photo

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Ratings and Reviews

Rating

5.0 (946 ratings)
5 star
(943)
4 star
(3)
3 star
(0)
2 star
(0)
1 star
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Reviews

A Whole New World

Our daughter (13) has always been into art and she has done a ton of art classes all over the city. As she got older, however, she began to feel frustrated and limited. All that changed with her very first class with Frances. A whole new world opened up as Frances showed Kate traditional techniques for drawing and painting. Her classes are serious yet wonderfully entertaining. We cannot recommend Frances strongly enough.

Max, 111 lessons with Frances

Very knowledgeable coach

Frances helped me break down the process of sculpting. She also helped me write a Statement of Intent to several craft schools. She’s been a big help to me in pursuing my artistic goals.

Thomas, 3 lessons with Frances

Great tutor

I am a mostly self-taught artist who was looking for a more guided approach than what I was getting through books and videos. Frances has helped me make significant progress by adjusting lessons specifically to what I need to work on the most and by giving great feedback on the work that I do.

Rob, 90 lessons with Frances

Top grade professional artist!!!!

If you want to develop artistic skills and progress fast. This is the person you want! tons of wisdom and experience and had been taught by master artists! I think she might be the best on wyzant!

Shua, 1 lesson with Frances

Knowledgeable, focused and fun

Frances is exactly the kind of painting instructor I’ve been looking for. She has a wealth knowledge about anything to do with painting and the art world present and past and is able to communicate very clearly. She listened to me and assessed my work and quickly had a focused plan to take me from where my skills are presently to where I hope to be. I enjoyed my first lesson with her and am looking forward to regular sessions with her in the months to come.

Alayna, 4 lessons with Frances

You should hire Frances!

I'm an adult who has always had an interest in art and drawing but never pursued it beyond the occasional art class here or there. During our first lesson Frances looked at a few of my drawings and quickly identified areas that we could get started working on right away. I have been seeing Frances weekly for a few months now and I can see huge improvements in my drawing skills. She is so encouraging and I leave every lesson excited to work on the homework for that week. She is incredibly knowledgeable and has clearly spent many years refining her teaching style and approach. She has a unique ability to see and convey the big picture of what we are learning and working towards, while at the same time breaking down concepts so that they are easily understood. Each lesson very clearly builds on the last, and at the end of each session I feel like I've been given the next essential building block for the foundation of my drawing practice. I highly recommend Frances as an art tutor!

Liza, 42 lessons with Frances

Goes above and beyond

Frances has been working individually with both my girls (7 and 9) every week for over a year. Not only have their artistic skills improved dramatically (their sense of perspective, dimension, line, etc.), but Frances has also helped calm some of their frustration intolerance and perfectionism. Recently, we -- who had been homeschooling -- applied to private schools for the girls, and Frances took a great deal of time to write recommendation letters for them. (I heard from the admissions committees that her letters were extremely thoughtful and very well received.) We offered to pay Frances for the multiple hours she had spent writing the letters, but she wouldn't hear of it! We're so grateful that we found Frances and that we get to see our girls' artistry and creativity flourish.

Amanda, 123 lessons with Frances

Frances cares deeply about her students.

I have been nothing but impressed by the level of detail and attention Frances has given to my son and myself as a parent. It is obvious she cares very much about successful outcomes for her students. Her breadth of knowledge has also been evident in every interaction. I am looking forward to watching my son's progress from her classes. She's been a great communicator, sending many insightful, instructive, and informative messages.

Patrick, 40 lessons with Frances

Great Coach, Very Patient!

Frances is amazing! She is very knowledgeable and cares so much about her students. I really enjoy working with her.

Nii, 3 lessons with Frances

Great Coach, Very Patient!

Frances is amazing! She is very knowledgeable and cares so much about her students. I really enjoy working with her.

Nii, 3 lessons with Frances
Hourly Rate: $125
Response time: 7 hours
Contact Frances