My High School Art Teacher Crushed my Creativity for 15 Years 

When you told about having trolls yourself, I was pretty shocked. For my life, I cannot imagine someone with your magnificent talent and quiet, kind spirit having a troll. I was so happy to hear you say you don't give them even one second of thought. You are so much appreciated. Thank you.

My 8th grade teacher accused me of tracing a rabbit I had drawn in front of the whole class. It was mortifying. I didn’t show any of my artwork to anyone for years!! So glad my husband surprised me with watercolor classes for my birthday! Enjoy and am amazed by your beautiful art!!

Louise, my heart hurts for the damage your art teacher did to you- but you have overcome that and are a wonderful artist- thank you for sharing the life lessons you gained through that painful experience

Your recovery from that abusive nincompoop is inspiring. Your art is magnificent, and your attitude makes you a beautiful person who has blessed countless artists of all ages. You shall forever tower above that little pipsqueak!

This is a painting of you! You plunged past the cruel containment of the glass and plain boring gray-and became a passionate hot pink watercolor-surrounded by refreshing water-free to flow and grow! Love your heart! 🩷

What a terrible thing to do to a child. Shame on him. I'm sure you were a wonderful art teacher and that your students were fortunate to have you.

Similar experience. My year 8 art teacher laughed when I showed him my work and said “it looks like a child did it”. I was so embarrassed I didn’t attempt again til I was in my late 40s. I found your classes on utube and picked up a paint brush Thank you so much. You are a great teacher and I’m enjoying art again.

My kindergarten teacher crushed my creativity for over 30 years. Thank you for this.

I've heard several artist encouraging others to not be affected by negative feedback. But your advice is the best by far. Not only do you say that, you give countermeasures that we can use. I'm going to use them. Thank you so much. You are just a jewel.❤

This is such a valuable post! As a retired K-12 art instructor, I am horrified that an art teacher, of all people, would do this to a student!! I have heard stories like this from my own students in the past. You are such a wonderful artist and I respect and appreciate your time and your wisdom! Thank you for posting !

Please let me tell you that I keep a picture on my office wall of a painting I did in high school! At 83 I see it every day, and it reminds me that I always loved what I did! I was fortunate that no one told me it wasn’t good! I’m telling you that your art is beautiful! Thanks, Karen Dirmish who loves your art and your stories!🙋‍♀️🌈

For me it was my mother. She would compare my (elementary school for context) stuff to other kids and ask me why mine could t look like the other kids. I was so young, I didn’t really know why mine looked messy. I just figured I sucked in general. That’s just one of many incidents. This hit home and I thank you so much for this video!

Louise, your story put me in tears, both for you and for me. First I just want to apologize on behalf of the old bald curmudgeon who thought he’d randomly devastate a young impressionable and blooming artist. His words and actions are shameful and abhorrent behavior for a supposedly revered art teacher. Obviously he was unhappy about himself and felt the need to project his inadequacy onto you, I suspect he felt intimidated by your progress and wanted to slap you down for fear you’d soon surpass him. He may not have admitted his harmful behavior but I’m apologizing now for his pathetic lack of tact. You’re a wonderful artist and he could never measure up to you. I had many similar humiliations in my elementary school days, in grades 3-5 I had a secondary “enrichment” teacher as part of an accelerated gifted program I was in, and this man couldn’t stand me, was always hurling insults at me and many other precocious classmates, and it felt horrible then and still feels really yucky now. I’m so sorry that some teachers get away with heinous behavior, that children of any age are subjected to such atrocities. But!! I do want to celebrate you, for overcoming that experience and for consistently making beautiful artwork and for teaching others in a most loving manner how to achieve greatness. If only the “adults” in the room during our childhoods could have recognized the amazing potential in their students. You are a HUGE inspiration to me and so many others. Thank you. ❤⭐️

As a working professional in the games industry these videos have done more for me than any conference speaker ever has. I just wanna say thank you Louise x

Thank you for sharing your story. I had a similar experience with my 8th grade art teacher. Her name was Mrs. Gross. She was a very stern woman. She never smiled. She never offered encouragement or kindness. One day, I was drawing in class and in one swift motion she grabbed my drawing, crumpled it up and threw it in the trash. I will never forget that moment but I don’t live in it now. My husband is very supportive of me and my art and I joined a group of Plein Air artists about 5 years ago. They have become wonderful and very supportive friends.

What a horrific experience! I would like to add that the opposite can happen as well. I had a 5th grade teacher when I was 11 who praised my work in watercolor and asked me to help other students with their work. Being a shy person it was a tremendous confidence booster. I’m now 70 and have gone back to doing art and loving it!

Late in life I came to the understanding that hypercritical comments come from people with their own inner pain. Words matter. They hurt innocent people the most. Your beautiful soul shines through your videos. Bless you.

That insensitive bully man should see your work today! Each and every one of your paintings are jaw dropping in their beauty. A book… a book! Each chapter featuring a subject… animals, leaves, flowers, portraits, etc. Some of your work reminds me of Andrew Wyeth’s… my favorite artist. ❤

I had a very similar experience in high school art class. I could always draw fairly well - it came a bit naturally. this particular art teacher, a woman, introduced us to painting. One day she walked by me as I worked and said, “too bad you can’t paint as well as you draw.” All I heard was “you can’t paint.” It never occurred to me to tell her it was her job to teach. It was years before I took painting classes but I came across a wonderful woman in my community who did know how to teach. I’m sorry for you and anyone else who has had that experience. Julia Cameron calls that a shadow artist. Someone who is unhappy with their work and tried to stifle others. She also says that when asked to draw, most adults draw at grade school level because that is when they are told they have no ability.

My dear Louise, I listened to your story in this video and my eyes almost welled up with tears. Thank you for sharing this moving story about your teachers criticism of your work! Thank you for your encouragement. You are one of my favorite artist on the internet and I love to watch you and thank you for putting these videos out there. Keep painting, keep sharing, you never know who you will touch and how deeply! We love you! Barbara

Louise, you paint beautifully. When I was in yr 11 the math teacher to me I was stupid. He shoved my head and told me how stupid I was because I couldn’t get a difficult concept. I became a teacher for early children and loved engaging them in maths and lots of other subject. Today I write math books for little children. I’m sure he would be surprised.

You two are a hoot! The best I can say about that art teacher is "what a jerk!!" I had a sister like that. Some people like to se you suffer. But we know different now, don't we?!! The jar is fab, too.

❤ All young artists really need to hear such kind words Louise. Sometimes, even people who love us and our work say strange things and do not understand the impact on an artist who is usually a huge introvert. Is hard to live "outside" the box.

People who shame usually were shamed and abused too. He had no right. Constructive criticism with a gentle touch is what makes us all learn and grow. Some have had a bad dentist or Dr visit that horrified them enough to keep them from coming back. At 13 ( a vulnerable age, self esteem is everything ) I had terrible acne on my back. The Dr looked at me and these 3 words kept me from swimming for years as I did not want anyone to see my back…He said, “Oh, My God”. If a Dr said that, what would other kids say and think? As an adult, I have tell tail scars on my skin but have grown enough to not care and do swim. It only takes one traumatic encounter to scar someone. I’m so happy that you grew beyond this scar and now use color so beautifully in your work. Keep painting!

Omg......what a horrific teacher! I am so thankful and appreciative of you, the person who is so helpful, creative, innovative and KIND! I am so glad that you had the courage to overcome the harm that he did that day with that very distasteful and malicious act! I did art and wrote poetry.... but when I was 14 or so my mother refused me art lessons from a wonderfully talented artist who saw my art work in an exhibition/show but entered not under my name but the names of my youngest brother and my only sister. They both won first prize imagine that lol. But that artist had seen with her skilled eye that those pictures (one done with oil pastels and one with wax crayons) had been done by one person. She had the courage to find out who that person was and she came to my parent's farm to find me only to be turned away. I never received the prize money nor did I ever see those pictures again. I never painted/drew/ or did any type of art again until I was well into my adulthood and my children were raised. I also wrote poetry and had a huge huge binder of it in my room. Everything I could not and would not put into color I put into my poetry with words. It was years of work and a life story in a sense. One day I came home and....it was gone. My mother said she had 'burnt it'. I went running out into the snow to the fire barrel (it was obviously winter time lol) intending to try and grab whatever remained in the flames but alas....nothing but cold ashes remained in that barrel. I was so upset, so devastated so angry and so I went back into the house to confront her as to why she would do such a thing despite knowing she may have beat the crap out of me (historically I had been beaten often for whatever went or was wrong in her life rather then any misbehavior on my part). I believe to this day she knew she had 'overstepped/misjudged' what she had done due to the look of intensity and devastation and possibly anger on my face because she changed her story and told me she had 'sent it to a publisher.' It was obviously a lie but at that time I wasn't sure. But now that was also taken from me. I could never trust that she would not destroy anything I wrote or drew or painted again. She had full access to the room my sister and I shared so privacy was completely out of the question. The positive part of this story is once again I do art....any kind of art I desire in my OWN house, my own world, my own space and I am so thrilled because I can and do! And I am learning something new every day with every piece of art that I set out to do as I try to reach inside my soul to interpret and possibly replicate the beauty of the world and humanity even. Thank you so much for your channel, for your kind words, for your skill and your patience and your ability to 'lift us up'...each and every of us! Thank you sincerely .....and know how you are truly and sincerely appreciated!

That was so very cruel. You are so resilient to overcome such an act.

Whoa! My eyes bugged out with what horrible cruelty that teacher destroyed your inner sense of exploration of something new. THAT was definitely a king of trolls! A big hug for that pain from across the seas. Thanks for this wonderful boost to anyone’s confidence. Including those little annoying trolls inside out own heads! This definitely sparks reams of comments as we can relate our own stories or those of loved ones… sad how people feel the need to critique in a cruel way. I don’t stay friends with that. Yup, don’t waste time or energy on negative soul sucking trolls.

Thanks for sharing this story & for keeping us inspired to continue to keep painting & creating. 🥰 I love how you have got the pink water swirling with movement inside the glass jar.

Oh my goodness! Your abusive teacher should have lost his position. 😡You are the most talented watercolor artist I have found on youtube!! Thank you for your inspirational message and for not giving up. ❤ I love watching you paint and I have learned so much from you!! I really needed to hear this message, because I have replayed hurtful words over and over in my head, but your message has inspired me to never give up, and to continue pursuing my passions! Thank you and may God bless you! 🌷

Thank you so much for your message!!! As artists we all doubt our art, our worthiness, and our ability from time to time. I too was crushed when I was bitty but have rediscovered the joy in creating and have taken up my pens, pencils, and brushes again and have found such a soul satisfying JOY... words have such power over us and our lives indeed! You speak power to the truth! Thank you ♡♡♡

It's those painful memories that help us become wise and intuitive. I feel for that teacher who was an airhead.

I wish I heard you words 50 years ago. I would have pursued art after high school but ….. I’ve recently picked up the graphite and paints a year ago and swore NOTHING was going to stop me this time. Thank you for sharing your story. Much appreciated! ❤

Thank you for sharing a hurtful experience. It helps to know how others cope with negativity. And I love the bloopers at the end. Hope Leo gets extra treats for his starring role.💞

Amazing how just one negative, unhelpful comment can destroy - some of them can even come from our own thoughts - while one positive comment can spur us on! BTW your work is stunning 😊

That is so very sad. I too lived to do art most of my life and my father once told me when I was about 13 that I wasn’t an artist because I looked at pictures to draw from and a true artist drew from their minds. I kept drawing just kept it very private. I wouldn’t show anyone my artwork until I was in my twenties. I’m truly glad that I didn’t stop drawing. And yes critiquing from art teachers was beneficial and I thank them for the guidance and support.

I totally understand how you've felt. Unfortunately, many teachers are the first one that crash your motivation. I'm so sorry you've gone through that but I am really thankful for this video because I know for sure it can hel countless of people

Thank you for sharing your art with us and finally ignoring that man’s comments!

Wow! There was a man who was in completely the wrong job 😮 I wonder if, later in life, he ever cringed when he remembered the stupid and harmful things he said. A reminder for all of us to be careful about what we say. Thank goodness you eventually overcame those comments to share your great talent and knowledge here online. I’ve said before, I really look forward to your RU-vid videos, they brighten my day and I always learn something. I love the process of watercolour painting and it gives me so much pleasure. I want to improve and while I critically assess my work, I also spend time looking for the parts of a painting that I did well and give myself a pat on the back 😁 I can then take that forward into the next painting. Unless it’s someone who I know, knows what they’re doing, like my art teacher, I pretty much ignore all other comments and when we’re looking at each other’s work in class, I always point out what other people have done really well. I’ve always noticed that positive comments bring out the best in people. I’m very lucky to take classes with a teacher who knows how to give constructive criticism. BTW I love how you created the look of the paint dissolving in the water on this one. Superb! Im inspired to try a similar subject ❤

Someone I know took a class from a “master painter”. When seeing one of her paintings he said, “Go home. Clean. Sew. Knit. Do anything but paint”.

I was in fact the one kif that listened to those people who said that I could never be an artist and that it is a losing game. And now I picked up my dream again with 34 and won't let it go ever again

Thank you for sharing your story. As an art teacher, my biggest fear is squelching the joy of a child. Only positive comments and helpful suggestions are permitted in my classroom, and I'm happy to say that the worst critics are the children themselves! I think someday I wouldn't mind working with adults, to help them get their creative spirits back from the trolls. And, thank you for all the wonderful lessons you teach - my watercolor skills are getting much better!

Louise, thank you. Having been crushed by a teacher at high school, telling me and the class that I was "stagnating in a morass of ignorance" and prevented by my parents from studying art, apart from the occasional dabble with a pencil over the years, it was not until I retired 50 years later, that I started watercolour painting and began going to art classes. I thank you for sharing your experience and am sure it will make a difference to others.

Wow ! What a horrible teacher to say such a hurtful thing! You are so talented! You are an inspiration to me! I am passionate about baking, gardening and painting! They all bring me joy. My hurtful moment came from my mom. For years I had entered in the State Fair….With my baking. I had won many blue ribbons but never Grand Champion. One year…. I was so frustrated when I had yet lost in my quest for Grand Champion again and I told my mom how disappointed and frustrated I was. She said “ I don’t know why you keep wasting your time because you are never gonna win.” Instead of defeating me however…. Her words just made me try even harder. I not only won Grand Champion once but twice! Once for my cake and once for my pie!!! So glad you have kept up with your art….. you are a fabulous artist and teacher. I have learned so much from you!

You're right, take the criticism as a learning experience. He said you were wonderful in graphite. A big 👍. And you could have focused on that. But instead you focused on the negative, forgetting that you were a novice in color. Yes, he wasn't just a guy off the street, he was the head of the art department. In your eyes, he was supposed to know about art. But doing what he did in front of the whole class was just WRONG! And I'm sorry he did that. If you ever get a chance, send him the link to your RU-vid channel and let him see how far you've come! 💖🌞🌵😷

My story is too big to tell. A lot of people crushed my personality in life. I now know that I have to straighten my back and do wat I want to do! No one is going to tell me what to do! I am 54 Years old. Thanks for your story!❤

Constructive feedback is so important...thats an art too

I am 69 yrs old have always had a learning problem. Never had a teacher who was wonderful or kind except one in night school. I wished l had had you as my teacher l would not of had the trouble that l had with life . My god girl you are so kind and compassioned. I whish there were more people like you.

What an evil, joyless, pompous man. So glad you rose above it like a phoenix. I once had a design teacher in grad school tell me I had a mind like a metal sieve. That was when I was in my 20s and it still baffles me as to why he would say something so incredibly raw and mean.

oh boy, I so understand you! My school fellows used to make fun of my clothes. I used to transform them, cut them, sew them again to make them look different and I remember to feel proud of my own creativity. Well, they made me feel ashamed and at one point I quit designing and upcycling my clothes to never return to this beautiful creative moments again. Today I understand what happened (I am 52 now) and painting (watercolor/ acrylic) gives me that feeling again and now there is nothing and nobody that could take this away from me, whatever they say!!! Thx for sharing.

Hear, hear! We’ll said!

Yes, same for me and it stopped me for 30 years. Now I’ve reclaimed my love of creating.

So many people have had their dreams dashed by people who were paid to teach but never earned a dime of what they were paid. The negativity I experienced came from my mom. I was the oldest of three and she relied on me to care for my siblings from the start. She was a pianist and an accomplished artist but commented I didn't have the "reach" for her to bother teaching me to play the piano and never complimented me on my art. I'm blessed to have had 10% of my teachers be positive and supportive or I wouldn't pursue watercolor painting at all. My grandsons count on me for creativity. We create every time they are here, even on 4 day Christmas holidays. I keep them engaged and spend time with them in varied mediums to keep them focused on what they can create.

That art teacher was more than having an off day when he decided to take out his frustrations on you. How awful it must have been. So sorry to hear of this experience and glad that you managed to overcome it. As a graphic designer, I have learned not to take the comments personally but some days it's really hard not to. When that happens, I take a few steps back to take a breather by doing something else. Your work is amazing.

"Embrace your creativity..." Yes, and so sad to see adults do this to kids, isn't it? Glad you recovered. :)

Thank you I had that happen to me, a history teacher 9th grade told me I didn't know anything..I have over come later got my GED, went to Bible College. Taught children,teens for 60 years and loved teaching. Now I am self taught painter and still learning, especiallyfrom you. Praise to God He helped me overcome, but I was still hurt and affected because of this.

Having had 2 extremely similar mortifying things happen with different art teachers, I can so relate. I love your determination to not let the negativity get to you!

Thanks! Amazingly kind of you to share.

Thank you Louise for sharing this story. You’ve made me realize I’m not alone and given me hope I can conquer this block I have about drawing that started with a high school Art teacher! My experience wasn’t so humiliating but it was my own interpretation of what happened that stunted my ever drawing again until I became a senior citizen. It wasn’t until high school that I discovered a gift for drawing! Actually it was the first thing I ever did that I was genuinely proud of. I was so excited that I asked my Art teacher if I could please stay in his class and continue focusing on develop drawing instead of moving on with the rest of the class to learn pottery. He refused, saying I was required to take pottery and that was that. It was the 1st time in my life I ever begged for something with all my heart but he never budged. I walked away thinking maybe I wasn’t as good as I thought! I mean what teacher wouldn’t want to help a student grow? To this day, his name is the only teacher’s name I remember. 😮😮 Ten years later I visited my boyfriend’s night art class at the Art Institute. The class was asked to draw a Coke a Cola glass bottle, so I joined in. To my surprise, my drawing turned into a realistic replica of the bottle! Everyone made a fuss and the teacher held it up for the class to see! My boyfriend was shocked to see that I could draw and we knew each other since I was 14yrs old. But, somehow the excitement never really touched me! Not sure why, it just didn’t! I’m now a senior citizen and re-enrolled in college to try to earn my BA in graphic Design, but Up until last year I only put pencil to paper whenever I was real sick or real angry or it was a class assignment. That’s all! However, last year I discovered a passion for watercolor and it feels like a dam has broken! I am so grateful to have found Louise. Her kindness is a rare gift and greatly appreciated. She keeps me motivated when I start to doubt myself! She’s a gift from heaven! ❤ Well, that was way more than I intended to write. Thank you for letting me vent. God Bless Louise 🙏❤️🙏

Thank you for sharing. I don’t remember EVER feeling proud of any art I produced. In post-war years we had very thin, nasty paper and powdered ‘poster paints’. Some how my best friend managed to produce trees etc and our ‘art teacher’ wrote me off as useless at art (perhaps not in those words but that’s how I understood it. I don’t remember my mother ever putting anything up on the wall. In recent years I have gathered the courage to banish my ‘art demons’ and have only recently, in my late seventies, let myself believe I am worth ‘wasting paper on’. I still have massive crises of confidence but overcome these by doing small, risk-free studies, usually on the back of failed paintings. I am also trying to stop trying to emulate every artist I see on RU-vid and only do things I enjoy - I am at a stage in life where I have earned the right to do things just for my own pleasure, and wonder of wonders, I often end up with something I am proud of. Oh, by the way, I avoid Facebook and the like because I was too sensitive and felt bereft if no one commented until my grandchildren pointed out I wasn’t using the necessary tricks to get noticed!

Oh my goodness, this is such a powerful video, Louise - You moved me very much, i could feel your heartbreak at that horrible teacher's criticism - What a nasty man he was to have robbed you of your joy. BUT you overcame and look at you - you produce some of THE most Beautiful art I've seen! Many of us yearn to paint like you! Your watercolour skills are truly astounding. Thank you for posting this. Love, Mel in Devon 🍰🌻

Your art is magical. I am 57 and just starting to get back in touch with my creativity.

Sometimes the only lesson we learn from others is how NOT to be.

GREAT advice Louise-Great content! As for me it was my male chauvinist high school art teacher. When I told him that I as going to Art School , he said, you know you have to be really good to make it in art. But it was my 1st grade-thru 9th grade art teacher who guided me through, I always went back to him for his advice, he’s the one who taught me art. I did go to art school graduated with honors and spent years working in the field and still at 67 enjoy painting almost everyday in my studio. So as a paid professional artist , I guess I was good enough after all. LOL! I’m so glad that I didn’t let him squash my dream! Love your videos…we never stop learning from others!

Thanks for this valuable video. I have saved it for rerun viewing. Mine came from an uncle calling me a starving artist at age of 13. Shame on him. You have renewed my faith. I. 62 yo now and came back two yesrs ago. Still practicing but have hope. I ❤you.

I am speaking up as a teacher. I was surprised the power that one sentence crushed your creativity for so long…. Words have so much power! I hope that teacher was just not having a bad day, as we as humans have from time to time.

I had a similar experience with an Art teacher when i studied in Germany. And i know how Long IT took to overcome. I Love you, Louise

Thank you Louise, for your advise and encouragement. I love the idea that all artist's create " Magic" is so uplifting and wonderful. Thank you for sharing your wise words.

Thank you for sharing such a personal moment. You are an inspiration, and we all appreciate everything you share and teach. ❤

Thank you from a 70 year old women I needed that

It was 40 years for me to attempt art again, after my high school art experience. I’m just at the start of my journey, and mourn the lost years. At least Louise has proven him well and truly wrong.

Oh my gosh.. People's words can do so much damage to the psyche. Thank you for sharing your story, and I am one of thousands of people who can I'm certain say how horribly wrong that teacher was. I am sharing your story with my son. His high school teacher told him not to pursue art. It's a shame when people destroy one's creative dream.

I had a high school art teacher that also derided whatever art I made. Luckily my mom let me take Saturday morning classes with a lovely woman art teacher. I became an art teacher, curriculum developer for other teachers, and professional artist.I know that my realistic style of art is not for everyone, and nothing anyone does is appreciated by everyone. Do what you love, ignore the naysayers. Great video!

Perplexing why a teacher who should be inspiring you and encouraging your creativity would cripple you in such a way. What an awful teacher. I’m glad you’ve over come the damage he caused because you are truly an amazingly talented artist!

I think many of us that are creative and talented have been crushed by cruel negative comments. I had been successful in all my creative endeavors until I was introduced to a very successful oil painter, much older than I 28 years ago by her aged father. He was a sweet gentleman who wanted us to meet because we shared a similar passion for art. I was invited to her home and saw her beautiful florals adorning her walls. She only painted florals and was just starting to dabble in watercolors. My late husband, her father and her met us in a restaurant a few days later. I was elated to find another artist and looked forward to making friends with her. We had enjoyed a lovely brunch that day and unbeknownst to me my husband had brought several of the paintings I had just sold in our van. He was always very proud of my artwork and as we were exiting the restaurant invited her to see my work. I was a little embarrassed by his action but, I thought it was as good a time as ever to show her a sampling of my paintings. The remarks and barbs she made after my husband and her father were out of earshot were cruel and disparaging. I fought back the tears that come from such a humiliating experience. I never doubted myself until that moment. I did not paint again for over ten years. Only once when I was 13 in school had I such a crushing experience and after all my beautiful art work was never returned throughout the entire school year. The elderly art teacher would always humiliate me in front of the class room, much like yours did to you. My classmates were very supportive because I was the best in the class and thought she was just spiteful. I never let that get to me because thought she would never get the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I recall even then my artwork showed great promise. I found out quite by accident, several years later that all my beautiful watercolors had been matted and framed professionally had been on display for over a year in the Chicago Public School’s District main offices! I was in seventeen and in high school and had gone into my old school to get my little brother’s transfer. While I was waiting, the door of the principal, who had a Doctorate degree,swung open and to my surprise there, on the walls of her posh private office were two of my largest paintings! They had been painted on full sheets and looked ever so lovely matted under glass! I swelled with pride and commented to the staff that I had painted them . They quickly explained why I had never gotten them back. I had heard the elderly art teacher had passed away shortly after she had retired. She had resembled the old actress Bette Davis in the movie, “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane”. She wore sheer, filmy dresses that were probably fashionable forty forty years prior to toe lat 60’s. Her long garish curls, white pancake makeup dark red rouge and lipstick, nicotine stained teeth and fingers was very scary . She was very tall and had a penchant for slapping kids unexpectedly . She had been a chain smoker all of her life and it was the cause of her demise. The memories of that teacher and her cough still makes me grimace and that was over five decades ago. Hurt like that can leave an indelible mark on a young person as well as an adult years later. Unfortunately I still have the self doubt. I can never be the way I was before the second incident, she took a lot of my joy with her that afternoon in the parking lot. Thank you for sharing

I am so sorry you endured such treatment by your “teacher.” I had a similar experience during an art class, but it was during a session where the students critiqued each others work. After enduring a ten minute critique that devolved into teacher-led bullying, I was convinced that I would never be able to create anything. I vowed to never attempt anything art related again. For almost forty years, I felt unworthy to even attempt anything I felt was “art”. I still haven’t had the nerve to enter another art class. I am endlessly grateful for the artists like you who teach on RU-vid. Your lessons allow me to explore my creativity with out the pressure of others seeing my lack of natural talent. Thank you.

Oh Louise, how sad for you and all of us who have had our art thrown in our faces. Yr 9 I left school as I had to go out and work. Back then you had to have all teachers sign your paperwork to leave school. My art teacher signed my form and promptly told me, "good that you are leaving as you will never amount to anything". I have carried that with me for 47years. I would love to run into her now! I am a wife, a mother of two, blessed with two beautiful grandbabies, running my own business as a Project Consultant in the construction industry and an artist. My cup overflows!!

Dear Louise! Thank you for your story and for sharing it with us. You are a great inspiration to me. I'm so glad I found you in Toutube. Thank you for being you. Wishing you all the best and an endless source of inspiration, joy and happiness.🎉😊❤

Thanks for sharing. I do it for the joy it gives me and I'm an oldie. Can't imagine the impact of the critical on a youngster. Art is subjective so anyone just purely being critical is showing a reflection of themselves more than anything?

Thank you Louise for your encouraging words and another wonderful tutorial. I can only hope your Teacher can see the wonderful Artist you are..

Im a secondary Visual arts teacher and would never do anything like that! I had a rubbish art teacher at school and it took me many years to find my niche in creating art and becoming a teacher. All thanks to the fantastic Art teacher i had at Tafe in the 90s, David White, who’s creative guidance and technical expertise opened the door to a whole new world and led me on my way to where I am today! A shame it took you so long to get back your creative drive, but you have definitely made up for it 🤗

I'm getting so mad at teachers like that. Teachers esp. for kids and teens are supposed to support them to discover their strengths and potential and not crush and shame them in front of EVERYONE else! I would love to see this teacher try something new and whether HE is capable to master it in only a short while!!! I am glad you picked up your artistic expression and went on. I just recently started watching your vids and you inspire me in both your art, your way of sharing your knowledge with us and the stories you share!!!! THANK YOU!

Thank you , thank you!!!!!

What a wonderful surprise. I never expected to be helped in the way your video has helped me. Thanks for your wonderful, inspiring words.

I am so saddened that happened to you. I wonder how many other people walked away from art because of these kind of comments. Art is so important to so many people, I know it is to me and keeps me sane through tough times. I am so glad that you were able to come back to it eventually. I am blown away that an art teacher would ever say something like that. Obviously not a very good art teacher. I believe art to be subjective and people all have their own abilities and ways of interpreting what they see. As far as I'm concerned, you ROCK Louise. Your art inspires me

Thanks for sharing your art teacher experience. Many people, including me, had those that stopped us to do what we loved to do. Some overcome those negative comment, some don't. I am glad I do.

This piece is stunning, I love the way the water "splashes" around the brush in the mug, so amazing that you could paint that action on this painting.❤❤❤❤

Louise, you are amazing in so many ways. I love your art and your own personal nature. I love this painting it's so beautiful. Namaste;

I would imagine that cruel art teacher would love to take credit for your success and talent now!!!!

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I'm amazed by the number of people that have a similar story. In 1st grade my teacher gave me a "D" in art because she didn't like the way I signed my drawings. (Each letter was in a different color crayon.) Older kids found out about my grade as I waited for the bus home. I was totally embarrassed and humiliated. I did everything I could to avoid art until college.

This just tore at my very soul!! Too many adults have no idea how much their words impact a child. It is unthinkable that a “ teacher of children” could take such a cruel action! One has to wonder if he wasn’t a bit put back and even jealous of your amazing talent that was already showing. That is what usually spurns a comment like that. Instead of bending down and maybe offering a tip or two, to take such action against you smacks of jealousy and ego. I am becoming a patron ( I have a snafu I’m working on with the site) because you are simply the best of the best and I need to just gobble up as much of your excellent teachings as I can! I’m 80, I’m on a limited time schedule here!🤣 Thank you for this very heart wrenching and important message. I’d bet we have all been there at least once!🤗👍👍👏🏻👏🏻

Thank you for saying this. I think every creative person goes through this at one point or another in school. This sort of thing is why my mother never wrote another poem after high school. She was crushed by an unthinking teacher. If they had any idea what damage they did to someone's creativity, maybe they wouldn't say such things. Or at least, I hope they wouldn't. I love your videos and your artwork is beautiful.

You are so wonderful to address this issue. You've helped me and countless others, I am certain. Thank you!

What a horrible teacher and person. I am so sorry that you experienced that as a teenager. I got over looked in art class, felt insignificant the teacher paid most of her attention to the kids who were "naturally talented" or from the more prominent families, so I never pursued art. I did take photography class, won a few contests went onto art school for photography. Then of all things changed careers in my 30's and went into healthcare. Now I am finding my way back to photography and trying to do more art painting and woud love to draw however there is that side of me that thinks I am not 'gifted' 'naturally talented' so I will never get it or my stuff looks like crap and I walk away. So sad how things like this walk with us throughout our lives.

An excellent message and thankfully you did not allow that teacher’s mean spirited comments to hinder you forever. Your work is amazing and so very helpful to all of us. Keep doing what you do, you are an inspiration to so many. Thank you!

Oh my gosh the lovey eyed look your cat gave you!!! 😍

I am so sad that this happened to you. However, i am so grateful that you shared this experience. Mine was grade 3, the teacher, Miss McBurney, said that because I couldn't color in the lines, i could not participate in the Christmas events (which included everyones drawings). How sad that some educators are so insensitive! It struck me that you remembered what he was wearing. These experiences can be so negative, but we must rise above it.

Dear Louise, thank you for approaching this topic that has affected so many, but is rarely addressed. I appreciate your deep understanding and especially your ability to explain and provide compassion and possibilities to get ourselves back on track. Your ability to communicate is something that I marvel at and adore about you, along with your amazing paintings. ❤🙏

Negativity at home and school almost zaps all confidence usually...so feedback or comment even on RU-vid is important responsibility i think

At times it takes alot of positive feedback to lessen one negative one. It reminds me of this proverb: Thoughtless speech is like stabs of a sword....(proverbs 12:18) what we say can crush someone. However sincere commendation can help someone move forward and improve. I always try to remember this. Love your watercolors.

I really delight in your watercolor paintings, those are so delicate and beautiful... Thank you for sharing this experience with us and not giving up. I love what you have achieved and continue discovering.