GOOCHLAND COUNTY, Va. -- A Goochland artist teaching free classes is asking for the community's help to ensure his students have the supplies they need when working on their craft at home.
Curtis Brown fell in love with art at a young age after seeing his dad create quick but detailed sketches.
"He drew a picture of Donald Duck, that was it, I've loved art my entire life," said Brown.
Specializing in action figure, comic and cartoon drawing, Brown began teaching a free superhero drawing class at the Goochland Library once a month.
"I was drawing pictures for a coloring book that I was working on, and one of the ladies asked if I would be interested in teaching an art class," said Brown. "I jumped at the opportunity."
The once-art student helps other students cultivate their skills and create works of art.
"It's the second Wednesday of every month, we work on figure drawing primarily. It is a superhero illustration class," he said.
Brown said he’s passionate about showing his class how everything they see is art and created by an artist just like them.
"The clothes we wear, the vehicles we drive, the buildings we work and live in, it's all art." he described. "I want to make sure that art stays fun."
He said though the library provides the supplies for students to use in class, he’s asking for the community’s help to make sure the students can continue to practice their craft at home.
"The library provides the sketchbook, and they provide a pencil and eraser and stuff, but, but those supplies don't always get to go home with the kids," he said.
Brown said he knows firsthand how much of an outlet art can be and knows what it’s like to not be able to afford the necessary supplies.
"I went through some rough patches, and art made it possible for me to keep my sanity. Without it I can't imagine where my mind would be at this point," he said. "And growing up poor that I couldn't participate in things because we just couldn't afford it."
So, he’s hoping to remove that barrier and provide any student who comes in with the necessary tools to continue creating.
Supplies they need include:
- New or gently used sketchpads
- Mechanical Pencils
- Markers
- Colored Pencils
- Crayons
To donate you can contact Curtis Brown on Facebook or email joi.fultz@wtvr.com and she will connect you with Curtis.
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