I had the opportunity to lead a virtual art class for elementary students through Apex For Youth. It has been a minute since I had volunteered with the organization so I was thrilled to help out and put on my creative hat to develop an one-hour class.

After toying with several possible topics to cover, I settled on exploring the principles of one-point perspective and using those concepts to create three-dimensional letters. I thought the kids would gravitate towards seeing how their names could look 3D with simple techniques.

Trying to keep young kids engaged can be tricky online, I mean, I get bored on some Zoom calls. So it was really helpful to do a practice rehearsal with Tra, the volunteer coordinator.

Here are a few slides from the presentation:

The class was really well-received. And, as a naturally shy person, I was mindful to keep my energy level high and upbeat (but not too upbeat) when presenting. I am always reminded of Beyonce, who says she transforms into Sasha Fierce when she is performing.

The class was the perfect marriage of art, education, and serving the community. I am so glad I reached out to Tra to see if there were an opportunities for me to teach. It never hurts to ask, right? Let’s hope there will be many more classes to come.