Students' thoughts on study with Shuster:
1. "As a teacher of dance at a liberal arts college for over thirty years, I have a high regard for the value of teaching the arts to students of all levels. I have studied, in several different occasions over the years, drawing and painting with Wendy Shuster. She is one of the best teachers it has been my privilege to study with. Great teachers, in my opinion, work equally well with professional-level students and with newcomers to the field. They treat their students with respect and consideration, while demanding of them hard work and discipline. They are able to blend professional expectations with their passion for the the arts in a unique and exciting way. They know when to step in, when to leave the student alone, and what kind of mix of criticism and support will be appropriate with each student. Wendy is one of those teachers. I recommend her highly to teach drawing and painting in any setting--teenagers, adults, beginners, intermediate or advanced level. She is, without a doubt, a master teacher."
2. "Wendy’s approach to teaching is unique, eye opening, simultaneously multi-layered. Wendy’s teachings make it possible to develop as an artist. I have learned to recognize and interact with a world of visual relationships far more fascinating and complex than anything I could name or invent. The visible is astonishing! The elements of design appear before me like a series of clues promising to unlock and reveal the structure of the universe, not unlike an equation to a mathematician or a law of physics to a physicist. The opportunity to “see” becomes available in other aspects of life; Life and Art become one."
3. "It has been my pleasure to be instructed by Wendy drawing in charcoal or should I say in 'seeing in charcoal'. What Wendy teaches is seeing and I use this in my life everyday to look beyond what are the 'optical delusions' of life that keep us from seeing what is clearly in front of us."
4. "Wendy is exciting to work with because with each class or workshop she truly does lead you to a different way of seeing. She engages you with a variety of possible approaches to your subject whether you’re drawing or painting. Then she works with you individually to stretch your process and further your artistic development. She creates a supportive classroom atmosphere that’s conducive to in-depth work and experimentation. She’s an enormously talented artist/teacher."
5. "Working with Wendy Shuster has been a gift. The mind is a powerful thing, sometimes the way we think can create a filter over our conception of the world around us. Wendy has a gift when it comes to aiding others in shifting these mental boundaries. The process she shares opens up the possibility of seeing the world clearly, in detail, as it is.. and for me, in a much more colorful way! I can not express fully enough what a joy the heightening of my sensitivity to color has been (and still is). Overall my time in Wendy's studio has been a delightful, fascinating experience. I am so grateful I have had the opportunity to work with her."
"No eyes that have ever seen beauty lose their sight." Jean Toomer
