A very brief stopover to take a class at CREATE this past summer. There is an art gene we share in my family, so 3 generations of us like to take certain workshops together. We all had Dremels, but didn't know how to use them that well, so we decided to take "Have a Dremel Day" taught by an amazing instructor who will remain on the top of my list as one of the best instructors ever!
His name is Thomas Ashman. The first thing that jumped out at me was his passion for art and his deep gratitude that we chose to take his class out of the limitless multitude of workshop choices on the planet. He didn't just talk about his gratitude, but truly showed it by getting down in the trenches with each of us beginners to help us make sure we understood every detail of using a Dremel. No beginner question was too unimportant to respond to either. It felt so safe to ask whatever crazy question arose.
We brought projects we were stuck on or materials we were curious about transforming with our Dremels.
I always study the energy of participants and their body language in any group setting. It's all that coach training, I guess. Note the lip-biting here....revealing a creative brain being stimulated to figure out how to problem solve using the new skills just learned. We three honestly walked out of that workshop feeling, "What can I put a hole in, polish, cut or sand/grind smooth now? Watch out, world. I've got a Dremel and I know how to use it!"
Thomas' parting words to our class were so touching and heartfelt about how much he appreciated our participation in his class that tears came to many. I highly recommend the Thomas Ashman learning experience. You will not feel invisible in his class, but truly empowered and psyched-up to play with all the new skills that were so thoroughly explained in detail. Thomas knows his stuff and it shows how much he loves what he does. Check him out here:
http://www.blacksheepartist.com/home
As for we three....no knitting around the fireplace this winter....we'll be cozying up to the fireplace with a Dremel, some safety glasses and some Dremel attachments.
