Sing with me: O Come All Ye Faithful, The Glance by George Herbert, Liturgy for Seasons of Illness, A kind review and thank you, Drawing board question, Tea recommendations, Color Connections full video course update, A.D.E. At Home Conference is on February 3rd- I’m doing a tutorial on the color PINK, Affirmations for you going forward with a crea…

You need a color theory course, right? Listen up! (NOTE: This course is currently in pre-sale. If you buy today, you will get the first 9 videos, and the remaining 12-15 will automatically become available in the fall once they are fully edited and uploaded). Take advantage of the current pre-sale and lowest prices that all of my courses will ever …

Today's topics: When your Mind’s Eye is Blind When You’re Totally Distracted When The Glory Is Too Much What To Expect This Year from BTB The Lamp Post submissions to Adele: Submit to: the.lamp.post.newspaper@gmail.com Want to learn how to draw and paint at home? Check out my Video courses! Subscribe to my YouTube channel Sign up for my newsletter …

Need some serious encouragement today? Listen to this conversation I had with with Clara Lieu. She is the founder of Art Prof, which is a free online resource for learning visual arts! She was an adjunct professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she taught in the departments of Foundation Studies, Printmaking, Painting, and Illustration…

Adele is a 13-year-old Charlotte Mason style student from Alton Bay, NH. She's created a new publication called The Lamp Post. I had the privilege of subscribing to the very first issue and was so surprised, entertained, and positively stirred by the articles and calls for entries! It’s such a rich and diverse collaboration paper, and I think you a…

This week’s episode is kinda personal. I took questions from you on Instagram a couple of weeks ago asking what you’d like for me to discuss with my dear husband on air. I thought Caleb (Nachtigall) would make a perfect guest, because he was homeschooled K-12! If there was ever a person who embodied education being “an atmosphere, a discipline, and…

My husband, Caleb, talks with me about his favorite memories of being homeschooled K-12, what we really think of the Charlotte Mason method, his homeschooling philosophy in general, and about the husband’s role in home education. What are your family’s educational values? Can you define them? Do they change? Caleb also debunks the “Homeschoolers ar…

We all have to deal with glory. As image-bearers, each of us carries borrowed glory from the Father. As we look at each other and see the glory we each have, it’s natural for our hearts to envy, rather than to glorify God. Today, Tilly Dillehay (author/ blogger/ podcaster) helps us sort through the topic of envy. She clarifies how this sin plays ou…

Elizabeth Michel, plein air painter, portrait artist, and book author/illustrator, is with me today! She also works with children ages 10 and up to improve their drawing skills. Today, we discuss a new book that she’s written and illustrated for you: “Honk! A Tale of Praise” is in bookstores and available online for you now! In the episode, we also…

A story of guts and glory. How to bounce back, putting in your best effort, knowing your limitations, and self-idolatry. Also, I ask for your feedback on your desire to purchase any art prints from me...Just thinking about it...Contact me here and the same place if you want to confirm that you also have a strange pride disease. Then, I have notes f…

A short episode about what I'm currently reading. Within are bits about drawing, nature study, and observational skills. Enjoy! Handbook of Nature Study, Anna Botsford Comstock Deep Work, Cal Newport The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency For extra fun, join my Brush Club Newsletter, follow me on Instagram @bestowingthebrush, and check me out YouTube as…

I talked with Felicity Harrison this time last year. She and her mom had some questions about what art school was like as she was trying to decide what the next steps were for her future. It’s a year later now, and Felicity has focused on her art business, but our conversation was helpful for her to try to figure out how to best spend her time. I a…

“Trees are dumb, birds are dumb, nature is dumb…” But what changed Danny Sabra’s mind? Let’s hear this self-taught artist’s perspectives on learning drawing and painting after thinking he didn’t have the talent. We, as always, talk about our mindset, and he and I chat about how artistic elitism can really ruin you. Plus, many other helpful things c…

Jack's working definition for creativity is the ability to make useful connections between seemingly unrelated things. Give us your ears for an hour if you've ever felt completely paralyzed by perfectionism, notebooking guilt, or have been tempted by the harassment of your inner gremlin... After all, "The point of nature journaling is to give ourse…

We deep-dive into exactly what’s in my new intermediate video drawing course and why you want it for your homeschool drawing lessons! The sale ends tonight at midnight! (7/5/2021) I also tell you about some exciting guests that will be on the podcast this September 2021. Get ready. Course launch sale ends July 5th, 2021 at midnight. Check out the s…

Updates for my favorite people. And a genuine thank you.

Two articles today! Readings & commentary of "Art Training in the Nursery" & "Hints on the Teaching of Drawing in the P.U.S." by M.L. Sumner and Emeline Petrie Steinthal, respectively. A lot of parents are very intimidated by going about teaching drawing in their homeschool lessons. It doesn't need to be complicated and the good news is that childr…

Is clay modeling just number 591 of aaaalllllll the subjects you need to include in your Charlotte Mason homeschool lessons? Or, is it something much more simple and profound? I guess you can decide after listening to Nicole Handfield and I talk about our experiences with this medium and all its benefits and pitfalls. How does this relate to the na…

Marley Peifer helps us guard ourselves from nature journal comparisons by taking on a growth mindset, gives us excellent tips on nature journaling in the snow, and shows us the value of direct experience versus indirect knowledge. This episode will equip you with a healthy attitude and very practical steps you can take to start right now! Go check …

Alanna Hendon and Catie Newby talk with me about how they've worked my drawing lessons in their homeschools. I love hearing their feedback and I think you will, too! Especially if you've been on the fence about purchasing Brush, Chalk & Charcoal: Foundations in Drawing. Their kids range in ages from toddler to twelve and if you stay tuned to the en…

Why, why, WHY do we do brush drawing for our drawing lessons? Miss K. Loveday has the answer in this episode and I couldn't agree more...Not only does she present the motivating ideas for why we draw in the first place, but she helps us with very technical matters, too. Listen in to learn about the specifics of the brush, seeing broadly, perfecting…

Molly the Modern Homeschooler and I talk about how technology hinders or helps us in pursuing art education, slowing down for artistic development in a fast-paced world, the problem of internet comparison, and being comfortable with not knowing an "end game" for this subject of study. It's a great episode, tune in! We also found 1,954 analogies for…

More on Brushwork from Mrs. H. Perrin of the Parents' Review, AKA Brush Drawing. If you need to know the intricacies of exactly how to practice this skill, you've tuned into the right podcast. Drawing lessons can be a breeze for your Charlotte Mason homeschool after you listen to the ideas in this paper. Enjoy! My Brush Club Newsletter My awesome d…

Do you ever feel like somewhere along the way, you said goodbye to making art? Do you want to reclaim your creativity? Listen to this episode to hear Jane Boutwell and I talk about the inner critic and those pesky little lies we believe that hinder our creative expression. Whether you express yourself through music, writing, painting, or any other …

Why in the world did Charlotte Mason discourage the use of a black-lead pencil in drawing lessons??? Mrs. H. Perrin tells us the secret... Also in this episode are some great drawing prompts that you and your children can work starting today! They're so simple, and there's no doubt you'll feel motivated to try these after Mrs. Perrin teaches us how…

What does working with your hands have to do with character? Meghann Dibrell of Rooted Childhood and I talk about this topic in today's episode! Handicrafts, drawing, and painting all involve hand skill, so I thought we'd talk about how training these habits in our children can bear good fruit for a lifetime. Visit Meghann on Instagram @rootedchild…

Want to listen to this nerdy paper I wrote about Ruskin and Collingwood? Listen in to hear about art and building one thing upon another truly! Riverbend Press, The Fesole Club Papers: https://www.riverbendpress.com/shop-books/fesole-club-papers-collingwood My course, the prerequisite to this material: http://bestowingthebrush.com/courses MB01IJRRH…

Perfectionism. If you or your children struggle with this condition, then listen in! You have hope. Elizabeth and I talk about how we overcome it in our lives and how you can, too! The Peacock’s Praise by Elizabeth Michel for PRESALE right now: https://gumroad.com/l/PBJF Find her on Instagram: @pleinairfinds Have you checked out my drawing course y…

Let’s read a Parents' Review article together! This one is by Lucy Gore about how to teach drawing to the littlest of students. Hint hint: They are people, too, and you have so much freedom with lessons! Listen in to hear about the art of seeing, brush drawing and what even is an indiarubberless drawing!? This lesson is Charlotte Mason approved. My…

Maria Coryell-Martin of Art Toolkit challenges us to view art as a tool versus a talent. To use sketching as a means of scientific inquiry, communication, and connection to the world. Listen to hear us talk about her wild glacial painting adventures, about how to sneak up on walruses, and how some of her most remarkable mentors have impacted her th…

This is a conversation with a dear friend, Heather Hall, who is a professional photographer. We talk about art principles and teaching them to our children through various mediums- what works and what doesn’t. Then, she turns the tables and interviews me! What is Bestowing The Brush and why do I make this show? Why do you listen? Find out! Also- di…

Hi again! This episode gets you ready for the 2020-2021 season of podcasts and also tells you all about my video course. I think it's totally right for your home school. Find out why!... Click here to preview my video course: http://bestowingthebrush.com/courses Click here to snag your copy of The Fésole Club Papers: https://www.riverbendpress.com/…

Hi, everyone! To you who are listeners only and haven't been in the know via Instagram, we have new things going on here at BTB Studios. Listen to learn what's up and to hear the reading of this article by Anne Quito called Drawing Is the Best Way to Learn, Even if You’re No Leonardo da Vinci. It's based on a book called Stick Figures: Drawing As A…

Enjoy the reading of and extra commentary on this drawing talk I did last summer at the Morning of Living Ideas retreat. Have a fantastic summer, everyone! Mention me @bestowingthebrush in Instagram posts if you or your students work any of the Fésole Club Papers, do any color swatches, or try any other drawing practice. You know I love to see! Reg…

You get to hear me talk with Nicole Handfield on this episode about the magical practice of the Nature Notebook and drawing in it, along with a few other topics, too. Nicole has generously shared with us a huge stockpile of resources for nature lore books, nature journaling, and some inspiring ideas as to WHY we do this. Listen in! In A Large Room …

May's Fésole prompt! Want to join this Fésole Club virtual correspondence art class? (THIS may be your LAST CHANCE before you loose time to complete the foundational work from the first two Collingwood papers!) ***If you haven't already, go back and listen to "The Fésole Club: The Lemon" and do a lemon drawing or two-- reading my critiques on Insta…

I have Kateri Ewing on the show with me today. We talk about the impact John Ruskin has had on us as artists, about her work and teaching, and about her unique point of view on drawing and learning to see. We touch on many things here- I cannot wait for you to take a listen! Stay until the end for a beautiful reading of one of her poems and for som…

April's prompt! Want to join this month's Fésole Club correspondence class? Go back and listen to "The Fésole Club: The Lemon" and do a lemon drawing or two, in conjunction with reading my critiques on Instagram of the other lemon paintings submitted. When you feel confident, move on to this month's prompt and submit by the deadline for critique! S…

In this episode, Emily Kiser and I talk about an often underused or misunderstood tool in drawing lessons in P.U.S. schools - Memory Drawing. Emily did a systematic look through the P. R. programmes and found out just how foundational and crucial this exercise is within a Charlotte Mason education. Listen in to hear about how training in this area …

I began reading Mason in 2016, but never had I made a Nature Journal a part of my life until a little over a year ago. It has been a vehicle for change in my life in many ways! Listen in to hear my story... --- Talked of in this show: @pleinairfinds, Elizabeth Michel, on Instagram- Check her out for a great view into home schooling and drawing and …

Let's go on a drawing adventure together! Details within. Never heard of W.G. Collingwood? You're about to find out about he and Mason's historic Fésole Club. Get your brushes ready, I'm taking submissions NOW for this reincarnation of a lost Art Club established back in 1891! Join the Virtual Fésole Club! Step 1: Listen to my instructions here and…

In this episode, Richele Baburina and I conclude our talk on Brush Drawing and get down to some lesson time atmosphere considerations and practicals. We also discuss how brush drawing manifests in the nature notebook, and muse over the wonders of geometry in this beautiful world God created. Listen in! Find Richele in these places: Charlotte Mason …

In this episode, I'm discussing Brush Drawing with Richele Baburina! Richele not only writes articles for Charlotte Mason Poetry, but also manages the CMP math resources page, has written three math books, and has created a beautiful basic Brush Drawing course, all the while home educating her two boys and helping her husband with flat art preserva…

Today, I finish my conversation with Cody Wheelock. Cody runs an Atelier here in Omaha, NE and works in the visual art department of a local private school with students of all ages. We talk about what gives us creatures our Beauty Sense, how we can better self-critique, and we chat about some great artists from the past! Enjoy. Find Cody in these …

This episode features my first guest on the show, Cody Wheelock! We talk over the foundational nature of drawing, wax eloquent about painting, discuss the magnitude of large waterfalls, and the benefits of failure. We be begin to touch on the imagination and Beauty Sense, but that, folks, that is an episode for another day... Find Cody in these pla…

Drawing is more about character building than making a pretty picture. Listen in to see WHY! Sources: Drawing Design and Craft-Work by Frederick J. Glass The Laws of Fesole by John Ruskin Charlotte Mason in her Vol 1. Home Education- page 313 "Children have 'Art ' in them Special shout-out to Kateri Ewing who will appreciate 14:30 onward! Let's tal…

Controversial topic here, folks! But I hope I've built the case in the direction I've intended. See what Mason and friends have to say about drawing from life and drawing from copy. How can these ideas help you and your students in your drawing endeavors?Also, BIG ANNOUNCEMENT you don't want to miss at 30:30 time stamp!!! Email me at: bestowingtheb…

This episode will draw you out of your hang-ups and inspire you to get out your brushes for some practice on the page! The 'why' behind what we do and how is so very important, and here I'm discussing some of the reasons we practice Drawing and Art Making! You may be surprised, and further motivated, and if not, you will at least come away with mor…

In this episode I give thoughts on and ideas for better drawing from a postural standpoint (ha, pun intended). Use your equipment, environment and body better while drawing and see if you yield better results and less pain in the neck, back, hand and wrist. Happy drawing!Contact me at bestowingthebrush@gmail.com or on Instagram @bestowingthebrush i…

This episode, I'm concluding talking about my experiences drawing "in the field" and what has helped my young children and I do this activity better and more consistently. I expound on what to focus on in your drawing session outside and things to bear in mind while executing.Here is the sketch journal I allude to: https://www.amazon.com/Hand-Book-…