Art and painting lessons at home in Livingston, NJ

When getting to class is the hard part

Livingston is spread out. Group art classes are great, but they mean driving, parking, finding the room and carrying supplies. For someone who has given up driving at night, or who tires easily, that can be enough to stop going. In-home lessons take all of that away. The teacher arrives with supplies, sets up at the kitchen table, and you just sit down.

One on one teaching also moves at your speed. If you want to spend three weeks on trees, you can.

There's also no pressure. Nobody else is looking at your paper. For people who feel self-conscious about being a beginner, that alone can make the difference between trying and not.

Inspiration close to home

Riker Hill Art Park is an unusual place. The county turned a former Nike missile site into studios, and more than forty working artists use it now. Visiting on an open day and seeing artists at work can be a big push for someone just starting out.

The Arts Council of Livingston also exhibits art at Town Hall, and seeing local work hanging there is a reminder that you don't have to be famous to make something worth looking at. Some students set a goal of having a piece they'd be happy to frame by the end of the season.

What lessons cover

Most teachers start with drawing: lines, shapes, light and shadow, simple objects on the table. Watercolor often comes a few weeks later. Some teachers also do pastels, acrylics or ink, and their profiles will say. Everything can be done sitting down.

Lessons often follow the season. Spring flowers from the yard in April, fall leaves in October, a winter window in January. Working from what's in front of you is how most artists learn to see.

Teachers also cover the practical side: how to set up a little corner for painting so it's ready to go, which few supplies are worth buying, and how to keep brushes in good shape. That makes it easy to practice on your own.

Cost and booking

Teachers set their own rate between $50 and $150 an hour, with visits of 1, 1.5 or 2 hours. Most bring supplies, but ask in a message to be sure. You can book a single lesson, four weeks at the same time, or every week until you cancel. Add a $2.50 booking fee and a 10% service fee at checkout.

After each lesson the teacher writes a short note, and families who live far away often ask for a photo of the week's work as well.