[Kimberly Dow]

I know what you mean - sometimes a learning situation is harder than just painting publicly because you know the teacher knows what they are doing (or should anyway) versus just the general public.

I learned how to paint in front of people the hard way. I took a mural job years and years ago for a large hotel in a big city. It was to be a temporary mural covering the huge ballroom, painted on sheets on the walls. It was for their New Year's Eve party. I was told I'd have the ballroom all to myself for 3 days prior to the party. I didn't sleep at all and I got it done and they were thrilled - but - guests from the hotel kept wandering in. I was on a ladder a lot of the time and it was unsettling. On the last day after 2 nights with no sleep a local tv crew showed up to interview me. The interview was so awful - I wasn't prepared and was tired. I think I said "uh huh" five times. Luckily it was on the news at 11pm New Years Eve - I don't think anyone saw it!