The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

PICTURE IT, creating a beautiful art piece while enjoying the sunset on the shores of beach near you. You could enjoy the experience on your own, or with the careful instruction of an art teacher.

This experience is what art teacher Carla Campbell offers in her “Art on the Beach” classes.

As an accomplished artist and trained art teacher of 11 years, Carla said she wanted to offer a service for “grown folks”. Every Summer there are art programmes for children and teens, but very few for adults. Carla wanted to change that.

“Art on the beach classes are for grown folks, anyone who is not a child; it is beyond high school age. I am trying to convey the message when you think of art classes, you usually think the class is for somebody who’s nine or in high school, but this is really for the adults,” said Carla.

Starting this and every Saturday for the Summer season, Art on the Beach will be available for all interested persons, whether you consider yourself an artist or not.

“It is very simple to get involved. People can find me on Facebook at (Art on the Go Bahamas), or check out my website artonthegobahamas.com and send me an email to indicate to me that they are interested in becoming a part of one of the classes. It is really that simple,” said Carla.

She said the beach location and times vary with each experience, depending on the person’s interest.

“I like to keep the classes very small because I am trying to send a message that says it isn’t a class in a sense that ‘I am going to be picasso when I finish taking this class’. This is really what I’d like to call edu-tainment,  where you are being educated, as well as entertained at the same time,” said Carla.

Carla said the sky is the limit when it comes to “Art on the Beach”. She said participants can turn the opportunity into the perfect date idea.

“When you are meeting someone or simply want to have a date with your husband or spouse, and you want to do something different, you can try Art on the Beach,” she said.

It’s romantic, you are seeing the sunset, the waves on the beach and a great setting, while painting, Carla said. “I have a special little location I like to go for that. For the groups, there is also a location I like to go for them.”

She said the artist will get a chance to participate in something that is revolutionary. When you express yourself on a canvas, you will feel much more relaxed, she said.

“This is something different that you can try. People always complain that there is nothing different to do and they are tired of the same thing, so this is something different,” said Carla.

She said “Art on the Go” allows people to paint from inspiration, which will be their surroundings on a Bahamian beach. “You can learn artistic skills and by the end of the day, you get to carry home the canvas for twenty bucks,” she said.

Carla said her “Art on the Go” program, in which “Art on the Beach” stemmed from, also caters to wedding receptions where she does live art.

“You give me a picture of you and the groom and I’m painting a picture of the couple at the wedding reception. It gives the guest something to look at and see the expression evolve on the canvas and it is done at the end of the reception. Yes there is the music and the dancing entertainment, but tell me have you ever been to a wedding where an artist was doing live art; it is amazing,” said Carla.