Light and shade

How wise words from my fifth grade teacher still influence how I create

When I was in grade five, my teacher Mr Jones taught us the most effective way to use coloured pencils. 

Start very lightly, he said, because once you’ve gone too dark you can’t go back to light again. It’s the difference between steering your creation and just letting it happen.

These days his words often come back to me when I’m teaching students about light and shade in music and creativity. 

And this week’s newsletter is about how his advice still influences how I take responsibility for the trajectory of everything I create.