SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — Wendy Mac is a San Francisco-based illustrator. When the COVID-19 outbreak caused schools to close, she knew kids would need structure for learning, and, perhaps more importantly, a creative outlet for their emotions during a strange time.
Mac began giving free live art lessons on Instagram. Monday through Friday at 10 a.m., thousands of children from 40 different countries across the globe have been watching and learning how to draw.
“I love it,” Mac told KRON4. Her biggest joy comes from when children hold up their drawings with pride and smiles.
While she is a professional artist, she’d never taught an art class for children before. Mac discovered during the Bay Area’s shelter-in-place order that she loves connecting with kids through drawing. Wendy said she will continue doing free Instagram art classes for kids even after schools reopen.
Her nonprofit, Draw Together, raises money to give art kits to children around San Francisco who can’t afford to buy art supplies on their own.
Janet Wolf nominated Mac to be a KRON4 Hero.
Wolf wrote, “Wendy Mac is my hero. She is a SF based Illustrator that has dedicated herself every day since this pandemic began to teaching kids (and kids of all ages) to draw. Her program is “Draw Together” and her slogan is “Everything is better when we draw together.” Wendy is live on Instagram every morning at 10am and has 130K followers! Kids from all over the world! Wendy is amazing with kids and although the conversation is one way, she really makes each child feel like she is talking just to them. Parents send photos of their happy kids with their beautiful works of art. The lessons are well thought out and teach art, fun, respect, compassion, mindfulness, caring for each other and working together.”