The Worker Behind the Workshop

By Kara Dicker

Meet volunteer Daniel Fishback. Since 2019, Daniel has been devoting countless hours in the role of education director here at Heartland Art Club. His dedication behind the scenes is reflected in the impressive workshops he puts together. “It’s hard work, but very satisfying,” says Daniel.

As autumn unfolds, landscape painters will enjoy a Plein Air retreat deep into the heart of the Ozarks, while environmental artist Adam Long brings nature indoors for a weekend of natural object sculpting. Meanwhile, live model, portrait, and targeted skills painting classes will add to the season’s mix of educational offerings that Daniel has coordinated.

A landscape painter himself, Daniel has participated in numerous Plein Air events over the last couple of decades, where along the way he has enjoyed meeting and learning from other talented artists and instructors. Those contacts, he says, have contributed to his ability to bring to Heartland a level of quality instruction in which the non-profit prides itself. Prior to his post at Heartland, Daniel served as an instructor at the Cultural Arts Centre in St. Peters, Mo.

In addition to painting, Daniel’s background as a business owner has been beneficial in creating a successful workshop calendar. As he explains, a portion of HAC’s funding for its mission and services comes from workshop revenue. Careful consideration, he says, must be given to the cost of hosting a workshop at a rate that will attract optimum registration.

One of the biggest challenges Daniel has faced as education director was trying to keep education going during COVID-19. With insufficient registration, HAC had to cancel or postpone classes. Fortunately, in 2022, things began to improve. Daniel brought Farley Lewis, a Springfield, Mo. native and nationally recognized muralist, to Heartland. His “Poetic Landscapes” workshop reinvigorated enrollment.

Daniel’s devotion to his role at Heartland is rooted in his understanding of the value of learning alongside others. “It’s the sharing of a lot of experience this is very instructive,” he says. Those who enroll in one of the workshops will see his philosophy in action. According to Daniel, one of the best perks of being the education director is that he too gets to participate in the workshops.