Lydia Bolton joined our faculty in 2019 as a youth and adult instructor. She has led with WAM's Youth classes for students in preschool through high school, taught Worcester Public School 21st Century programs, worked with our visiting school groups and Head Start programs, and piloted a very successful Elements of Art Class with Open Door Arts and Seven Hills! Lydia brings a sense of joy and enthusiasm as well as gentle encouragement into her studio. We are happy to have her!

More about Lydia:

I’ve been into art for as long as I can remember--different things influenced what kind of art I was making as I grew up. I discovered that like many types of art! During my early school years I focused on comics and manga, which transformed into studying illustration in college.

Currently I’ve been painting things from nature. I’ve been hiking very casually throughout the pandemic, since it’s a good way to get out of the house and still avoid encountering people. It's also a great way to find cool trees and stumps to paint! Both the stumps in the sketchbook and the tree on the masonite board are done in gouache, which is my favorite traditional medium--I started using gouache in college and was hooked!

Gouache is great for outside painting since it can be reactivated with water, so if you have to stop for a bit it's easier to jump back into later. I’m still working on the tree painting from photo reference, and although I am the type of person who really enjoys painting the tiny little odds and ends, I have to always remind myself not to jump into the small details right away! I feel it's important to keep creating and this October I am challenging myself to paint a mini painting everyday, I have a prompt list of things to work from if I get stuck for an idea. I'm excited to see how this challenge goes!

Lydia is currently teaching Creating Characters for Youth online, and has upcoming online fall classes like Building a Portfolio and Myth and Magic that you can see online here.