Sandy McLean zooms in with online art classes

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Sandy McLean art classes
Sandy McLean is teaching people to paint masterpieces in the comfort of their own home with Zoom art classes.

Outback artist Sandy McLean is teaching people to paint masterpieces in the comfort of their own home with Zoom art classes.

Sandy lives at Woodgate and is known internationally for her ability to show the beauty and splendour of the Australian outback with her unique use of bright and bold colours in her art work.

With years of art teaching experience Sandy believes there is an artist hidden in everyone and with a little encouragement the inner painter can be unleashed, and the creativity can shine.

During the current social distancing regulations Sandy has taken the opportunity to branch out from her normal workshops and paint parties, and she leaped in to the world of online teaching, giving participants step-by-step guidance through the Zoom lessons.

Sandy said she had been considering moving into the online world for some time and the Coronavirus restriction just gave her that extra push she needed to get there, and she held her first Zoom online art class on Sunday with the assistance of a Bundaberg videographer Elizabeth Marsh from Digitally Signed.

“I had been thinking about going online for a while to cater for adults and children,” she said.

“When I say online, I mean offering a painting and drawing programme that can be downloaded and used at people’s convenience.”

Before the Coronavirus health concerns, Sandy would host painting workshops, and paint parties where a group of friends could gather to socialise while picking up a new skill or two, and take home their own work of art.

Sandy McLean art classes
Sandy McLean has believes their is an artist hidden within everyone and she helps to bring it out with her art classes. Photo: A previous paint party held by Sandy McLean.

“People would often ask how they could continue with their art when I wasn’t available. So, doing the programme was to fill this gap,” she said.

“It is all so new, and I am just going with the flow and finding out what people want and how I can best meet their needs.

“I imagine when we come out the other end and things get back to the new normal, that I will travel and teach as I used to, but I think with this new online approach that it will be great for people who can’t access one of my events, they will still be able to join me in a painting session.”

Sandy said she is known as the Outback Artist after she spent most of my life on cattle properties in various parts of Queensland, but she didn’t start to pursue art as a career until about 2006.

“I have a firm belief that anyone can learn to paint and draw, but for whatever reason they have been stopped in their tracks – usually as children by some sort of criticism,” Sandy said.

“My job is to open people up again, through encouragement and knowledge, so they will overcome their fears and continue to create.

“So, I suppose my job is to get people to see the beauty in what they do and to not judge themselves and most of all to have fun!”

To join one of Sandy’s Zoom art class, click the learn to paint and draw tab on her website.