|
|||||||
I love teaching painting, and the long-lasting connection it creates between us. Since 2012, my Private Painting Mentoring program has helped painters around the world, and I'd love to work with you. To make sure that the investment is a good fit for you, below are dozens of case studies and reviews from past and current participants.
I'm humbled and honored to work with each one of them. I highly recommend that you also check out their websites, and follow their work! Whether you're an experienced painter or a beginner, through my Private Painting Mentoring, I help to guide you further along your journey and save you years of struggle or frustrating trial and error. Read all the details here. ![]() "Private Painting Mentoring might be the best thing I've spent my hard-earned cash on in a long time. I just don't feel lost like I did before. It's such a personal, customized look at what I'm trying to do; and to have someone like Abbey take the time, as well as share her thoughtful, caring attitude to help guide me is a benefit beyond measure. It was very important to me to work with someone as generous and open as Abbey. I can't tell you how many (dozens?) of painters I've worked with -- so called experts -- who either aren't really sharing their knowledge, want you to paint exactly like them, or aren't good at pointing you in a useful, positive direction. Abbey freely shares her ideas and has an extraordinary amount of patience with both how she paints and how she interacts with people. I very much respect Abbey's work and intensity. Abbey helped me hone in on my strong skills while giving me goals that I can strive towards for improvement. Since our session, a big 'ole cloud of anxiety has lifted from my confusion about why I paint, let alone how to paint. For the first time I feel like I'm driven towards it for very good reasons that have nothing to do with commercialism, and everything to do with how I feel about myself. And thats a very good thing! Abbey helped me a great deal to understand my perceptions about painting and my need to produce rather then think about what other's expectations are. I'm pushing aside self-criticism and allowing painting to make me feel happy. I'm now excited about my next painting and what the next day will bring. I'm able to slow down and not paint haphazardly without thinking. This is HUGE as I can easily get anxious and overpaint. It's such a relief to paint with the rhythm of slow, quiet music. I could go on and on. In considering doing Painting Mentoring with Abbey, I'm certain everyone has their own vastly different reasons, but for me it's because of the very personal, in-depth, customized evaluation not just of the painting itself, but of what it means to be a painter. For example, how to free myself from being overly critical of the process I'm going through. How to look at the bigger picture, and plan incremental goals in order to assess my progress. After the live session, I received such a thoughtful, clear, and thorough Advancement Plan! It really helps me to shut out all the other noise in life and follow the terrific suggestions. It could be hard to remember everything while doing the session one-on-one in real time. Now I can later really think about how to apply what I've learned. With the Advancement Plan, it's right there to read over and over, which I've already done and will continue to do. I loved that Abbey took the time to go over the various painting samples with me. The concrete comments were so spot on; the kind of things that I know I'll remember and apply as I paint. The things she says are so profoundly true! A lightbulb moment for me, for sure.
Regarding the live session, well, I loved seeing Abbey, and her generous teaching as well as great sense of humor are super enjoyable." ![]() "Since my Mentoring session, the impact on my work has been Huge, overnight. The mentoring session over Skype gave me great insight into what I was doing wrong and how to correct my application and technique in simple to understand explanations. I saw immediate improvement and had a feeling of great satisfaction. I was overlooking, or unaware, of my mistakes in color, edges, palette, and material. After the mentoring session it really opened my eyes to how to approach a painting, and how to execute a better painting. I liked that Abbey gave concrete detail to improve my work immediately. Also, she gave long term goals, and a very detailed Advancement Plan after the mentoring session. Private Painting Mentoring has helped with improving my work, increasing my motivation/confidence, and insight into resources and material to use for my painting. I Highly recommend Abbey's Private Painting Mentoring. If you're looking to improve your work, and grow as an artist, then this mentoring session is a wonderful opportunity to do so. On all levels I think Abbey touched on what I need to do as an a painter and artist to take my work to the next level. I now believe that I have a path to follow to achieve my goals. ![]() "Since my Mentoring session, I'm excited about implementing all the techniques and tools that Abbey informed me about that can take my painting to entirely new level. Loved the face to face Skype session, seeing Abbey's Studio behind her made me feel like I was a friend. She is such an approachable person and no question is too silly. Would love to do it every month! Private Painting Mentoring has helped because I was able to gain a new perspective in order to move forward in my painting. From tools to my personal space and where I should sit in order to get the best results. Such valuable information that can dramatically alter your results. Seeing Abbey's paintings have always inspired me so to literally have the opportunity to sit across from her and hear her evaluate mine was priceless! The fact that she is so approachable, kind and funny was unexpected and quite wonderful. ![]() "I love talking to Abbey. She is positive, bright, insightful, and just knows how to get good information out there with out being judgmental, competitive, or overbearing. So, the best part was having a candid conversation about my work from someone I respect. I find it hard to find anyone who has enough of a candid view to share and offer direction. I am from a time when most critics are focused on the concepts of 'use a bigger brush', 'don't sweat the details,' 'you should be able to describe an object with one stroke.' etc. Well... I don't do any of those things, and I don't think that kind of direction leads to helping me. Abbey is respectful of my process and she starts at my point of development for offering direction. It is a strategy that is good for me. I think that until I took two of Abbey's workshops, I couldn't really understand how mentoring would benefit me. During both of the workshops her observations and suggestions were spot-on, and in particular, during the second session I watched her mentor another painter whose work had grown and matured under Abbey's guidance. Initially, I was concerned that the fee was high and wanted to have some reassurance in my mind that I would realize some benefits. Since my session, I am painting most days everyday, a morning session and an afternoon session. I still get to the 'teenager' stage, but honestly feel like 'if I really want that painting,' I can get through the ugh stage with less anxiety. I also realized that my painted forms are pretty flat and I fell over backwards because I love 'form' and yet I am painting it like I don't know much about lighting and translating that into paint. Actually, I have found this realization very motivating. And it is making me look much harder at other painters who do this well. Private Painting Mentoring made me value what I do and showed me how to make progress in my work. During the last four months, I have been unaware of what could make enough change to become excited again about painting. As I love painting, this was kind of a daunting problem. Through Abbey's comments and observations, I feel like I am just (again) beginning to improve my awareness and sensitivity to the subject matter I choose to paint. I am more motivated than I was because I see what I need to try to improve and kind of know how to do it. I would recommend Private Painting Mentoring to any artist who would like honest and helpful feedback about their work. This artist should be able to create goals for their work and be willing to follow through with seeing the value of Abbey's mentoring. I think a mid-level career artist is ideal for this mentoring. I think someone who loves to paint but is having a hard time getting to it (through strange acts of putting it off) will most appreciate Abbey's outlook on painting and on her mission to 'paint in the moment.' She says we are all lucky we can paint, and we are. At the same time, painting is hard and causes anxiety. She has great insight on how to offset that anxiety and help cure procrastination. ![]() "Abbey is thorough, thoughtful, clear, grounded, experienced, non-judgmental. The best part was the the Skype call -- the face to face interaction. Since my session, I feel clearer about how to start. I am more able to dive in with more confidence and not waste time on areas that I had no experience with. I look forward to learning more from Abbey ... through her email blog, re-watching all her YouTube videos, continuing with mentoring sessions, and someday attending a live workshop." ![]() "Abbey is a wonderful teacher and being able to speak with her directly and listen to her insights were a great help. She has a gift for noticing where you are having difficulties and is very practical in her suggestions. I have always had a problem with procrastinating before beginning a painting. Abbey helped me to understand the reasons for my fears and what would make me put off painting. Private Painting Mentoring is a great way to learn if you have little to an art school or art instructor, or if you are not able to travel to take classes. There are good artists that are not good teachers, there are art teachers that are not good artists. Abbey is good at both. She is so calm and focused." ![]() "Before registering for Private Painting Mentoring, of course the cost was a consideration, but I believed that it was something that I needed and wanted to experience. I think Abbey is FABULOUS! I am so happy that I finally got the opportunity to experience Abbey's wonderful gifts! Since my session, I am eager to begin. I have no hesitation about what I am doing or about to embark upon. The best aspect of Private Painting Mentoring is Abbey herself. I liked that it was just Abbey and me talking. I liked that she took the time to understand my work and what I would like to do as well. I loved Abbey's Painting Assessment Worksheet that she gave me to fill out in advance; it made me think of things I had forgotten about. It was such an easy process. Abbey's feedback is invaluable!! I am now more confident in what I am doing. Her guidance has opened me to the possibilities that are awaiting me. From Abbey's private mentoring I know for sure that I will continue and that I will be successful. And I love the continued access to Abbey and her private resources. I think Private Painting Mentoring will benefit anyone who is at a crossroads with their art, their process or their talent. Anyone who is looking for someone to genuinely guide them in continuing on their journey would love how Abbey turns all the road signs around and lights up the way to continue on the creative path. Abbey made everything so clear. I am looking forward to more uplifting moments with Abbey. This process is wonderful."
![]() "Before signing up for Private Painting Mentoring, I hesitated to make the financial investment, and I also hesitated to give myself credit as an artist. Prior to the session, I had been wrestling with questions about what value there is in creating art and sharing it with others. The session with Abbey proved to be worthwhile in addressing this concern. Witnessing Abbey's heartfelt commitment to painting got me in touch with my own deep-rooted belief in this creative work. I was inspired by Abbey and grateful that I had invested in myself by signing up for her mentoring. Since my Mentoring session, I feel a deeper sense of joy around the ritual of painting, as well as an openness to the challenges that come with it. I cherish Abbey's insights about honoring your own personal rhythms and building a painting practice that works with your opportune times of day and routines. I also find that I feel more confidence when I arrive to paint, which I think connects back to the very practical, thorough advice that Abbey offers when she discusses options for painting techniques. ![]() ![]() "I hesitated to join Abbey's Private Painting Mentoring because of the cost and I wondered how much I could really get out of an online mentoring session. Once the process actually began, I was so amazed at the time and effort that Abbey put into my mentoring session. I have attended many in person retreats and classes in which I later was not able to integrate what I learned into my personal process, and I had the complete opposite experience with this! ![]() "My hesitation in doing Private Painting Mentoring with Abbey had to do with was it going to be money well spent and is my painting accomplished enough to merit the advice of an accomplished painter such as Abbey Ryan. ![]() "Before signing up for Private Painting Mentoring, I was not sure if it would be worth the money or if it would really help me. Now that I've done it: I really liked how the session was specific to my work and questions. The biggest change for me is that I understand why I was having the problems in the process and now I feel more confident to address them. She really has a gift for teaching... I appreciate that she took me right where I was and really gave me specific things to consider. ![]() "Before signing up for Private Painting Mentoring, I didn't really hesitate; I just felt that this was the right thing to do in the Now. ![]() ![]() "I really did not anticipate the time and thought that Abbey would put into the Mentoring process and into my paintings. Abbey has a good mixture of personality/teacher that allows her to get her point across in a positive way. It was nice to get constructive criticism that left me feeling enabled as an artist. I think Abbey's painting mentoring session has and will make me a better artist. ![]() "Since my session with Abbey, I have been much more thoughtful about my process. In the past, I've tended to just paint for the sheer practice of it, but going forward, I am going to make a conscious effort to be more introspective. Also, I have already implemented a few changes with regards to lighting and my palette, and I'm looking forward to exploring more of the materials listed on Abbey's Resource pages. ![]() In my view, Debbie is most interested in the delicate balance between realism and more expressive loose brush strokes. Her works have a vibrant quality of light and she's so open to various subject matter. Overall, I think Debbie's strength in painting is her initial understanding of the "gestalt" or immediate impact of the painting image. Here is what Debbie says about Private Painting Mentoring: "[On signing up]: Naturally cost was a factor for me. However, when I looked at what I had spent on workshops in the past, I thought, this one is personal and worth it. ![]() "My only hesitation to participate in Private Painting Mentoring was the cost, but it was worth every penny!!! Now I know where to concentrate in the painting process. ![]() "When considering signing up, honestly, cost was a factor. I was also concerned because it was not a format that I had ever participated in. (No website yet, unfortunately.) ![]() ![]() "My concerns about participating in Private Painting Mentoring had to do with how it was going to work, and value for the money. I have taken courses that I didn't feel I got value for the investment I made.
I will tell you, I'm satisfied -- Abbey has inspired me to continue my pursuit learning how to continue the journey of being the "best I can be." ![]() "I had many concerns about participating in Private Painting Mentoring. I love to paint, it comes from within me, but talking about ideas, theories, techniques, and artists, I tend to freeze in my thoughts. I felt ill prepared to discuss painting techniques that puzzle me, or ones that I would like to explore. Although art has been a huge part of my life, I tend to shy away from discussing what role I play, or see myself playing, in the art world. It is well worth the money to be a part of a one-on-one with Abbey. ![]() "By participating in Private Painting Mentoring, I saved travel time to a workshop, air fare, hotel expenses and eating out. ![]() In her paintings, I think Bruce's strengths are her complex compositions, her control over the color "key" in the work, her expressive use of color, and balance between abstraction and realism. Here is what Bruce says about Private Painting Mentoring: "I first hesitated to do Private Painting Mentoring because it feels like a very vunerable situation, one where I admit to a lot of emotional issues that trouble me. I was a little concerned about our age difference, which didn't matter at all, I don't think. ![]() "I am thrilled to have the professional point of view of an artist I admire. I also am thrilled that Abbey found my strengths and moved me towards working off those strengths. I would never have found my route on my own. I am so thrilled with my exploration and the journey Abbey is guiding me into." ![]() Watch this short clip about my Teaching Philosophy:
Find my work in: ![]() © 2012-2017 Abbey Ryan | Refund Policy No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means. Duplicating, sharing, or uploading this to sharing sites is prohibited. Abbey Ryan's Painting Testimonials are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. These Testimonials are provided solely for Private Painting Mentoring prospective participants' personal, noncommercial use. Unless explicitly authorized, you may not modify, copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit, translate, sell, create derivative works, exploit, or distribute in any manner or medium (including by email or other electronic means) any material from these Testimonials. Thank you. |
|||||||