FAQ
Questions about Classes and Covid-19
Q: What are you doing to prevent the spread of Covid-19 between students?
A: Masks must be worn indoors at all times
-Hand sanitizer before and after class.
-Students from different social bubbles will be 6 ft apart and stay in their seats.
-Until I have a medical grade Hepa filter in the studio, all windows will remain open to maximize air flow; an important factor in limiting the spread Covid-19
-I encourage siblings to attend the same class. I also encourage friend groups that are in the same social bubble to sign up together attend the same class.
-New size limits based on households. 4 Households or social bubbles per class.
-I am double vaccinated, and will receive booster shots when available to me.
-Newly added 15 minute break between class times. This will ensure that students from different class times will not meet in the halls or waiting area. Please promptly pick up students to assist in this.
-Online classes will remain an option on Mondays. Other days and times may accommodated depending on the interest..
Q: What happens to art class if there is a outbreak or lock down?
A: If I have been exposed to covid19, I will close in person classes for the mandated quarantine guidelines.
in the event of mandated lock down, in-person classes will be stopped until allowed again. This will be in the best interest of our community.
All in-person classes will switch to an online format (Zoom) rather then being cancelled. A email link will be provided to those who decide to use the online format.
Q: Will you conduct private in-person classes during a lock down?
A: No
Q: Do you provide credit or refunds for missed classes during lock-downs or quarantines?
-No refunds or credits will be given due to missed classes due to lock-downs or quarantines during 2021 and/or 2022.
-If you sign up for a term of 12 or classes, it is with the understanding that classes will have switch to online during lock downs or quarantines.
Q: What if an in-person class is missed due to not feeling well?
A: Make up classes and credits can be granted due to missed classes from illness, even the sniffles, or feeling of being generally unwell.
Q: What if I don’t feel it’s safe anymore to continue in person classes?
If parents feel the numbers are getting too high in the community, switching to online classes will be available. If you are not interested in online, I recommend paying for 6 classes at a time. All missed classes can be used as credit to a future time without a time limit for the 6 class payment option.
If I have not addressed any question you may have here, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
General Questions
Q: What makes MartinArts different from other art lessons?
A: There are lot of different places to take are lessons at within the GTA.
From large single locations offering courses from recognized practising artists, to schools based on strict academic traditions, community centres, artist run centres, franchises/chain business model art schools, single studios with single artists (such as myself) or multiple instructors, or private lessons held in student’s homes, there are many choices. Each school and/or instructor will have their own take on art education and their own flare and passions. So the question, having all these choices, is why go to Katherine Martin, aka MartinArts?
Here is a list of a few things that are not necessarily unique to me but can be some reasons that set me apart from other art schools and/or lessons offered elsewhere.
No sudden replacement of a teacher: This can happen without warning at franchised and/or multiple location art studios. Some studios treat the teachers as replaceable parts and swap them out for a new one like it doesn’t matter to the students and their progress. The teacher may also move on as they find employment elsewhere. If you like me as a teacher, you can keep coming to me as a teacher as long as that works for the student.
Consistency: It is possible to continue to learn with me all the way from 4 years old to an adult. Some teachers’ will not teacher younger students, and some teachers do not have the skills to teach older students. I have the ability to teach to young students at their age, ability, and personal development level. I strive to know my students very well, and love watching them learn, grow and change.
Individualized skills development: I am invested in the relationships I form with my students and use what I learn about them as people to better teach them in the future. With my long term students I know what they know and do not know. For each individual student, I develop both short term and long term goals, and introduce each subsequent stage of learning when I feel they are ready. In doing so, as the years pass I am able to keep up with them, and introduce advanced training when the student is ready. I do not have to hold back knowledge to have students keep coming to my classes. I am eager to move my students forward, but at the pace that is suited to him or her.
No scripted lesson plans: Meaning the class can be directly relevant to students learning styles, interest and needs, rather than written before hand by someone who does not know the students in the class. If a student comes in with an idea they really want to learn, that can become the days lesson for them! This keeps students interest in Art personal.
Experience: I have been teaching art since 2006, and as a full time profession since 2008. Over the course of 11 years, I have taught hundreds of students from all age groups. Simply put, teaching Art is not a side job, it is my calling and career focus.
Skill set: I have a broad range of technical skills, abilities and styles: From cartooning to old master approaches, photo-realism, multi-media and digital art, among many others. I can form interconnections between each style/skill in a way that shows how they grow and come from one source and feed each other, rather than addressing each as a disconnected part or separate coarse or unrelated subject.
The balancing of skills and creativity: I try and find a balance between learning skills and practising creativity. I also strive to find a good balance between following instructions and keeping within boundaries, personal independence, expression, and exploration. Many of my students come from artistic backgrounds with more of a focus on copying the work of others; So many students and parents have found me as an alternative to this approach. I encourage my students explore their imaginations and make choices, but there are many places where you can simply imagine and be creative in free form ways with little to no structure. What I offer at MartinArts is Imagination applied within structure, skills and tradition to meet the demands of imagination/creation.
Q: How long does it take to learn art?
A: Truthfully, the answer is a life time. However, there is a time when the student is ready to be independent in their studies and practice. The longest amount of time I have taught a student was nine years.
Q: How can I pay for classes?
A: There are multiple ways to pay for art classes at MartinArts: As of now, payments can be made with cash, cheque made out to MartinArts, or online banking. You can either pay either in person (In class or in the studio when you register) or online
Q: What if a student misses a class?
A: Make up classes can be arranged for missing classes during the enrolled pay period. *A limited number of extensions to the pay period may be granted under some circumstances. Credit may also be applied to summer classes or PA days.*
Q: What if student goes on vacation?
A: With sufficient notice, a payment term can be put on pause until the student returns.
Q: Are there any discounts?
A: There is a 10% off for family members.
Q: What if I need to change a Class time?
A: If there is space available in another time, you can change the Class time.
Q: What supplies will students need?
A: It depends. Most of the art supplies are provided by MartinArts. Children’s Art 2 and above requires the student to get their own sketch book. Size 11×17 or larger and quality paper. No dollar store books please! Sketch books can be purchased at the studio. Other special supplies such as canvas, t-shirts, and sculpting material are generally not included in the class price, but can be purchased at the studio. Older students are encouraged to buy their own paint once they reach more advanced levels/techniques.
Q: How many students in a Class?
A: The Class limit for Early Start in Art is 6 students (if the class is mostly 4 year olds). The maximum limit for all other classes is 10 students. Most classes are capped off at a smaller number usually around 8. The number of students is generally based on what I feel comfortable with and maintains the quality of the class for all students within it.
During these times, classes are limited to 4 households or social bubbles per class time. Online is limited to 8 students.
Q: Do you offer free trial classes?
A: Temporary policy during covid19 pandemic I will not be offering any free trial in person classes. Online is available to try before paying.
Q: Do you offer any special rates if I cannot afford art classes for my child?
A: A very limited number of spots are available with a subsidy for those who are not able to afford art classes and have a child/youth who could either benefit from art lessons or have a deep interest to learn. Special consideration will be given to students coming from single parent households or landed refugees. Contact Katherine for more information on the potential of receiving a subsidy as well as the restrictions.
Q: Do you do private at home lessons?
A: Sorry, I am no longer available for private at home lessons. If you are interested in one on one in the studio, this can be arranged. Contact to find out more.
Q: My child wants to get into an art school can you help?
A: Yes. I have assisted a number of students getting into art schools of all levels.
Questions about what is covered in the classes
Q: When do you teach oil painting?
A: Oil painting is messy and can be toxic. It requires a certain maturity level to handle it safely. The absolute youngest age for this material is 10, but more likely starting at 14 or after lots of experience handling other paint types first.
Q: Do you teach water colour painting?
A: Not my personal favourite type of paint. However, I know the theory and practice, and have taught many students who then went on to master it. Generally there is a bigger focus on Acrylic and oil paint in my classes, but water colour often does gets covered. If there is a special interest in learning water colour let me know. *Note: I do commonly use non-toxic water colour paint with younger students, but with limited technical instruction.*
Q: When will my child learn shading/sketching?
A: Non artists use the words shading, drawing and sketching interchangeably. They are not however the same thing. Sketching especially is not what most people think it is. Usually what is meant by this question is, do you teach drawing with shading?
I teach drawing to all my students no matter the level he or she is at. I do teach my students shading, but not typically with my young students. Younger students do not yet have the eye for detail to truly shade correctly without a lot of intervention and interference from a teacher or instructor. The results might be impressive, but it is an illusion at this stage development.
Young students can do an easier form of shading. However, in my experience such students taught to do the simpler shading will only later have to be untaught a number of bad habits, which actually makes progressing slower. Therefore, I prefer to teach it properly from the very start to those students able to truly learn and master it. I typically wait until I feel students are ready to develop that understanding. I love teaching shading, so it happens as soon as it make sense for the student. An estimate for starting introduction to shading is roughly 9 years old, with a greater focus starting around 11 years old. There is no set rule, however, and is entirely based on my assessment of the student, as well as their interests and needs. Some young kids are able to learn shading, and they want to. But please no pressure. It’s counterproductive.
Q: Is the class fun?
A: Yes. I try to make it fun. For young students it’s about making them feel comfortable with making mistakes and overcoming them while playing with ideas on paper. For everyone it’s about experimenting with materials, problem solving, expression and imagination and skill building. My aim is to balance learning with enjoyment. But learning does come first!
Q: How do you teach with kids of different abilities in the same class?
A: Admittedly this can be challenging, but even students at the same level are different with different needs. A lot of it has to do with time management, knowing how and when to group students, and when to have them work independently. The Most important thing is to hold all students to a standard based on their effort rather than ability. I reward and praise effort above all else. I personally believe that effort is mistaken for being “gifted” at art. All student needs to do is try and I will direct each student to the best ways for them to apply that effort.
Q: What if my Child or I only want to learn_________?
A: Let me know of any interest, whether subject or material and I can incorporate it into lessons plan or create lesson plans to help reach one’s personal goal. However some material and subjects are not appropriate for some age groups. Whether from pigments with heavy metals that can interfere with brain development if accidentally ingested, or stuff that is simply beyond a student’s current age development. I will not accommodate request that I feel are not in the student’s best interest. Also, some subjects and materials require doing/learning things that seemingly have nothing to do with the given subject or artistic material. This can be discussed. Together we create an individual’s curriculum.
Questions about Art Camp
Q: What kind of activities do you do at your art camp?
A: There is no set simple answer to this question. What makes my camp different, is from the first day of the week I sit down with the kids and find out what their interest are. I give a list of suggestions and possibilities, and I am open to new ones as well. From that point, I plan out the week making sure to include fundamental skills and great extended projects they can take away with them.
New research is finding a link between the amount of times kids spend outside and creativity and overall well-being. For this reason, at lunch we go outside for an hour of play time at a local park. Kids are encouraged to run in a safe green space and be physically active for that 1 hour.
I continue to look into other ways to bring more art time out of the studio and into the world. With that being said, doing art outdoors or field trips is included as part of the camp experience for some weeks.
How to Register:
It’s simple. Pick a class time. Contact me to let me know you are coming and to double check there is space. The online schedule is updated about every two weeks so you can have a good idea of what is available. Fill out a form with some basic contact information. I would prefer at the very least to briefly met or talk with all a parent(s) or guardian(s) before a class begins.
If you have any questions before registering, please contact kathmar@gmail.com or text or call (416) 668-5799.
You can also reach me on Wechat: id MartinArtsclass
