I have been really behind in getting to this blog- lots going on. Just wanted to get this wonderful image out from a show going on at Chandler Center for the Arts through Oct.31. Four of the artists are friends of mine, all very skilled in printmaking. This image is from my longtime mentor and friend, Darlene Swaim. Here series of images are all relating to her childhood growing up in Indiana farmland during the 50"s. Everyone was very afraid of the A bomb, with regular drills in the schools where the children would hide under their desks in practice for when the bomb sent by the Russians would hit. Her series of images visually show her feelings. I took printmaking from Darlene then went on to oil painting. The skills I learned from her in those classes at Mesa Community College were of more value than 3/4 of the art classes I had taken already in the 70's from ASU. That was the dark ages of abstract expressionism, do what you feel even if it is crap. Darlene never painted in a demonstration, but made you think, see and understand the form, then allowed you to just work hard. Put miles of canvas behind you and learn. Many students don't like this type of teaching but I have taken her theories to heart in my teaching. If someone really wants to learn to paint, they don't want to paint like the teacher, they need to learn to paint and allow their own style to come through. Rather than imitation the student learns through doing it. I learned there are no short cuts or secrets to painting well. Thank you Darlene for giving me the courage to give it a go, help me see, and for being one of the most caring individuals I have ever met. If only
all art professors came in with this same attitude, to serve the student, not turn out little clones of themselves. Go see the show. Chandler Center of the Arts, Chandler, Arizona
I have been really behind in getting to this blog- lots going on. Just wanted to get this wonderful image out from a show going on at Chandler Center for the Arts through Oct.31. Four of the artists are friends of mine, all very skilled in printmaking. This image is from my longtime mentor and friend, Darlene Swaim. Here series of images are all relating to her childhood growing up in Indiana farmland during the 50"s. Everyone was very afraid of the A bomb, with regular drills in the schools where the children would hide under their desks in practice for when the bomb sent by the Russians would hit. Her series of images visually show her feelings. I took printmaking from Darlene then went on to oil painting. The skills I learned from her in those classes at Mesa Community College were of more value than 3/4 of the art classes I had taken already in the 70's from ASU. That was the dark ages of abstract expressionism, do what you feel even if it is crap. Darlene never painted in a demonstration, but made you think, see and understand the form, then allowed you to just work hard. Put miles of canvas behind you and learn. Many students don't like this type of teaching but I have taken her theories to heart in my teaching. If someone really wants to learn to paint, they don't want to paint like the teacher, they need to learn to paint and allow their own style to come through. Rather than imitation the student learns through doing it. I learned there are no short cuts or secrets to painting well. Thank you Darlene for giving me the courage to give it a go, help me see, and for being one of the most caring individuals I have ever met. If only all art professors came in with this same attitude, to serve the student, not turn out little clones of themselves. Go see the show. Chandler Center of the Arts, Chandler, Arizona
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