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Old 10-27-2002, 10:13 AM   #46
Jim Riley Jim Riley is offline
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Joined: Jul 2001
Location: Lancaster, PA
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Marv, I believe you have it bass ackwards. The gist of my post was to suggest a larger and inclusive view of art. Your suggestion is very singular and narrow. Your post does NOT offer an alternative view. It insists on one view/opinion only. If we were arguing religion you would suggest the exclusive teaching of one true religion where I would favor courses in comparative religion. I refuse to believe that you have to belong to my faith to be saved.

You seem to suggest specialization in education before the general where you might otherwise be better armed to know where your goals and training fit in the larger scheme of things. If one has lofty expectations and high hopes of making significant contributions to the visual arts, I would hope they might be willing to take on an ambitious course of study and risk being "dazed and confused". It's called education.

I am truly disappointed and amazed at the behavior of an irresponsible art teacher. My friends from the same school were quite surprised to hear the story and suggest that it was atypical. I am no less amazed to hear of 25 years of delay in getting the art training you sought. How is it possible?

My attempts on this thread have not been to sell a point of view but to give consideration to all points of view. I do not wish to draw a line or have a loser. I simply see no merit in characterizing those who conceive and paint differently than I as "snots", "snobs", and so on. I don't think the heathens eat babies and bark at the moon and simply do not think demonizing all else enhances our genre of painting. If inclusiveness and consideration of art as an experience larger than my own preferences and skills is in error, I plead guilty.

P.S. I have only heard the best things about Harold Speed's drawing book and I plan to add it to my next Amazon order. It will then pass it on to my young neighbor who now has all my other drawing books and thinks he may do someday what you and I enjoy doing as artists. My recommendation for Henri's The Art Spirit has little to do with his style of painting and is not a how-to book (although it contains quotes from critiques of student work) as much as it shares technical advice as well as those other intangibles that make paintings special. I promise you he does not sell a particular style of painting and you will find no threat.
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Jim Riley
Lancaster Pa. Portrait Artist