Meet Mrs. Ferguson
Carol Ferguson is an Alabama artist and teacher who is working hard so everyone can learn to love, understand, and create art. When she is not creating extra-large oil paintings, teaching middle school art, coaching basketball and volleyball, and being a mom and wife, she is creating this blog so you and anyone can learn about the true, good, and beautiful through art since the beginning of time.
She believes art is not just for the talented—that it is not simply something you either have or do not have—but something that can be understood, enjoyed, and created by everyone through knowing and practicing the 7 elements of art: line, color, shape, value, form, texture, and space. By studying the masters and classical studies, you too can learn to love and create art. She can tell you all about it through this 7 Elements of Art poem she wrote. Get started with this intro lesson from Mrs. Ferguson and see how easy art can be!
One of my favorite things to paint is familiar places that people recognize right away. For example, I created a painting of the old cotton gin factory in downtown Prattville, which many of you may know as “The Mill.” I often make prints of my original artwork so families can enjoy a piece of local art in a more affordable way without purchasing the original painting itself.
Another piece I painted features one of Prattville’s beautiful downtown fountains. Did you know Prattville is called “The Fountain City”? That nickname comes from the many natural springs running underneath the city. In fact, if you dig down in certain places, you can actually reach one of those springs, and the water is naturally cool, clean, and filtered. I love including little pieces of local history like that in my artwork because it helps connect art to the community around us.
I’ve also painted the clock tower that many of you may pass on your way to school each morning. It’s one of the most recognizable landmarks in Prattville and has become such an iconic part of the city. Capturing places like these in paintings helps preserve memories and tell the story of our hometown.
When I’m not teaching or painting, I spend time with my family. I have four children, and two of them actually attend Ivy, while my older two are at another school. As the school year goes on, you might figure out which students are mine, but for now I’ll leave that as a mystery!
I’m truly looking forward to meeting with you each week as we explore art together. We’ll learn about famous artists, study incredible masterpieces, and create artwork inspired by what we discover. Art is such an exciting way to learn about history, culture, creativity, and even ourselves, and I’m excited to share that adventure with you this year.