Fifth-grade students at Biddeford Intermediate School draw and listen to art teacher Kate Gerwig on Wednesday. LIZ GOTTHELF/Journal Tribune
BIDDEFORD — Students at Biddeford Intermediate School learned Wednesday how a beloved pet inspired a side career for one of their teachers.
Wednesday was the school’s annual career day, and students got the chance to listen to presentations from speakers representing a variety of professions including a police officer, a wedding planner, yoga teacher, Kung Fu Master and a banker.
Kate Gerwig, an art teacher, brought her dog, Celly Francis and spoke to students about her job outside school as a pet portrait artist.
Students shrieked with delight as they entered the art room, eager to get a chance to pet Celly, an easy going, soft, 25-pound Labrador mix.
Celly walked around the classroom as Gerwig spoke about how she started as a pet artist. Gerwig said she went to college and studied art, but focused mostly on sculpture.
She had a strong foundation in drawing, but hadn’t done much painting until 20 years after she graduated from college when she welcomed Celly into her household and was inspired to paint pictures of her little four-legged friend.
“The first painting wasn’t as good as this one,” she told students, pointing to a slide of one of her paintings, “but it was a start.”
Gerwig said after painting Celly, she painted a portrait of a fellow teacher’s dog, and then began painting other dogs.
She described the process to students, telling them how she first makes a drawing and then adds different layers to the painting, using different techniques to show details like fur.
Gerwig said some of her sketches turn out better than others, and some paintings may take a couple of hours to complete while others take much longer.
“Every single picture won’t look perfect. It just takes practice,” she said.
She guided students through a drawing session with Celly as the model, discussing different features of Celly, like her long body and the tufts of fur on her legs.
Fifth-grader Clarice Cote said she had never heard of a pet portrait artist before, though fellow fifth- grader Gabbie Diggins said she had, and her mother had a poster made portraying their family dog. Both said they enjoyed learning about their art teacher’s other career.
Though drawing a moving dog had its challenges, both said they enjoyed the exercise and found drawing relaxing, and listened to their teacher’ words about the importance of practicing.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be reached at 780-9015 or by email at egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
