I've been talking with friends recently about art education and feedback, and how much certain forms have helped (or damaged) people's art abilities and confidence.

The worst case was a friend who drew a horse when she was about seven or eight years old and excitedly ran out to show her mum. Her mum responded with a chuckle and flat, "You're sure not going to be an artist when you grow up, are you?" Goodbye art in one person's life.

The best I've experienced has been a very supportive and patient teacher in university who coached me through from mildly awful to somewhat decent in a life drawing course, all without a destructive word or look. The fact that she did that with seventeen students (in just our course) means she should get angelic status in the afterlife.

I'm curious what other best and worst experiences there are out there?