Welcome to our new art teacher, Didi!
SPCA would like to introduce our new art teacher, Didi Baldwin. Didi has begun leading weekly art classes with our Golden Years members. She is interested in teaching drawing principles through creative practices, such as playing with scale, using blocks of colour, and drawing with collage. These classes will begin with structured lessons, and then her artists will be given free time to connect with their own projects. The most important aspect of the class for Didi is, of course, the members! She’s happy to collaborate with her students to meet their goals, and wants her class to be for everyone and anyone.
A wooden table with different art supplies
A woman begins sketching a landscape in the centre of the room
A landscape with different objects, including a Moka pot, a circular print of the earth, dried flowers, and two potted plants
Didi is a practicing painter, printmaker and photographer who has been teaching classes for over 30 years. She holds workshops for children and adults, including disabled adults. Her own work is largely landscape inspired, and she invites her students to thoughtfully observe nature with her: she brings in reference objects and photos for students to re-create in their own projects. Her students have worked with all sorts of crafts, including pop-up cards, puppets, and collage.
Didi focuses on the process of creation in her own art, engaging with her pieces as they develop instead of working with an established plan. This approach makes for an active, meditative experience. Her flexibility and openness are reflected in the way she leads her classes, creating a peaceful, warm space for her students to explore their own creativity. She hopes her students are able to find a space for relaxation and reflection. For her, art is nourishing, and she wants her students to leave feeling fulfilled.
Two women work on art facing towards the landscape set up
A woman sits painting the landscape set up while the instructor and another member of the class stand over his artwork
Didi will be in the centre from 1:30 to 3:30 PM every Thursday for Golden Years members. We’re so excited to have her with us, and hope you’ll join us in welcoming her to the SPCA family at her next class!
You can also find Didi and her beautiful artwork on Instagram, @didibaldwin.
