Sound Bites - Issue #6 / February 2014

Introducing 

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It’s my pleasure to introduce a newly created program called “Life Long Learners,” which will reward our best and most loyal customers and encourage them to continue to look to us for their continuing educational needs.

As many will attest, learning never stops. And so we want to help you, our life long learners, to cultivate your interests and professional development – indeed, even your dreams.

This program will offer incredible savings that are not part of our regular promotions and these exclusive offers will be sent out only through private mail with a special thank-you gift.

If you’d like to find out how to be qualified for the “Life Long Learners” program, please call (310) 434-3410.

Warm regards,

Michelle King
Director of Career & Contract Education

 

What's New...

Freddie Manseau: “An Utter Delight”

Art instructor Freddie Manseau’s roots to Santa Monica College are deep and reach back into the 1970s.

He graduated from SMC in 1975 and has been teaching drawing and watercolors at Community Education since 1989. And he’s been teaching at SMC’s Emeritus College for older adults since 1990.

“I’ve always been an artist, ever since I was a boy,” he says. “My motherA native of Santa Monica who still lives in the city, he’s been drawing and painting for as long as he can remember.
told me ‘You don’t have to always draw on the wall, here’s some paper.’”

Manseau earned his master's degree in Fine Art, specializing in drawing and painting, and a bachelor's degree in General Art, both from California State University, Long Beach. In addition, he holds an instructor credential to teach art and related technologies.

Teaching and creating original art are his major passions, but he has also done commissioned paintings, as well as commercial art for mass reproduction, promotional, prototype and product development. Among his commercial works are promotional materials he created for the Indiana Jones Adventure Ride at Disneyland, product illustration for General Mills and cartoon characters for Intervisual Communications.

His work has been exhibited in Malibu and at the SMC Emeritus College Art Gallery. This summer, Emeritus is planning a retrospective show of his work.

In the classroom, he says he wants to “create an atmosphere conducive to creativity, to keep things fun.”

His students say that is exactly what he has done.

“The class was a great chance to unwind, socialize and tinker around,” said student Cameron Hanson of his Intro to Drawing course. “Freddie is an utter delight and had us moaning in humor every class.”  

And Painting in Watercolor student Wendy Howell commented, “I enjoyed the instruction, humor and space to be independent simultaneously.”

“I feel very lucky to do what I’m doing,” Manseau says, “to inspire those who want to draw or paint.”

You bring a lot of talent and experience to your class. Is there a particular approach or philosophy you bring to the classroom?

In addition to providing my students with the techniques required to create a drawing or painting, the most rewarding aspect is in knowing that I inspired the student enough to be excited to move forward in a more personally satisfying direction with his or her art.

What do you hope your students will come away with?

The tools to apply toward a more personal creative direction.

What are the rewards for you as an instructor?

Truly loving what I do, and doing my best, while continually working with wonderful new people, plus having built a great following of students through the years.

Tell us an anecdote or two about your students or classes that are particularly memorable.

I now instruct adults only, but in the past, I had taught many Community Education courses to children. Recently, one of those past students is taking one of my watercolor courses, only now, as a 20-year-old adult! I recognized Peter right away, with the same wit and talent that I had noted in years past! Another recent anecdote came in the form of an email. This also turned out to be yet another former child student who wanted to identify herself as the
little 6 year old pictured with me in an old newspaper article about one of my courses for children with Community Education at that time. She had discovered it online. I'm feeling older lately!

Which artists, famous or not, do you admire the most? Why?

Winslow Homer, for his beautiful watercolors of boats and the sea, and John Singer Sargent for depiction of similar subject matter as well as stunning portraiture. Both of these wonderful artists were truly magicians in capturing light and atmosphere.

You’ve done quite a bit of commercial work, as well as commissioned paintings. What is that like and how do you compare that work to teaching?

Commercial work can be challenging in both a positive way and a negative way. The negative would be to create an illustration for a product or promotional idea under pressure. The positive would be when you meet the demands of a new challenge and learn something new in the process. On the other hand, being a professor of art is stress-free, rewarding, and very conducive to creativity in the most positive light. Most of all I love being around people who truly respect and support one another. I am a very fortunate person to do what I love most.

Freddie Manseau will be teaching Painting in Watercolor - Level 1, beginning on March 2.