Art Gurus

The question, "Where do you get an art education these days?"
pops up on the screen of this studio computer so frequently
that I sometimes think that it's some sort of spam. "Struggle
at home with the help of books," is often my cryptic reply.
Some believe only a higher education will do--and they tell me
why, and why nothing will stop them. But I'm generally visited
by folks who want to learn stuff fast and to get on with it. I
often advise them to take workshops.

At the heart of workshops are authoritative, working
professionals--the "art gurus" who have a sideline of sharing
their moxie. The modestly named "Great American Art Event" is
such a venue. Presented by the Pearl Paint people, it happens
in New York each fall. Pretty well every type of art guru is
available at this one. Students can pick and choose from
top-tier instructors who specialize in painting animals,
abstracts, actresses, aircraft, etc., etc. Techniques and
processes can be sponged up, tried out and accepted or
rejected. "Tell me and I'll forget--show me and I'll learn," is
the modus operandi. Hands-on is where it's at. Bring your
easel.

In my own modest guruhood, I've noted and admired a certain
type of workshop student. They are people who already
understand the nature of our game. They know that private
individualism is the key, but they also know that a little
voyeurism is okay. Young or old, they are curious, focused,
eager, and happy to be challenged. They pop in and pop
out--often never to be seen again except when you hear about
their openings or their own inspiring workshops. Their initial
knowledge may be puny, but their intuition is grand. For them,
learning is a matter of finding out what they already know.
Among these folks, I've seen sly smiles as if they happened on
the keys to Fort Knox.

In the guruology department, personalities are as wild and
different as in any decent asylum. Some talk more than do.
Others talk by doing. Some can't talk very well at all. Some
will come around behind you and grab your brush. Others
wouldn't think of the effrontery. Apart from the tips that the
good gurus give, there's the exemplary wisdom that "it can be
done." Over and over I've heard it said that during a workshop
a door was opened and possibilities were newly seen. When the
"Great Goddess of Art" is so blessed, it makes a guru proud.

Best regards,

Robert

PS: A few years ago, while in Thailand, I spent a day with a
monk. One of the prayers that he repeated several times went
like this: "The Buddha said: 'Monk, you and you alone are your
refuge. You and you alone are your pathway.'" In the saffron
robes of my own guruness I say something similar: "Artist, gain
knowledge, but know that the greatest guru of all is the guru
within."

Esoterica: Perceived masters can be intimidating. They may even
cause a novice to give up because there's "too much to learn."
Sensitive instructors are able to draw you in and put your
creativity ahead of their own. Just in case, you must walk in
with your integrity firmly in hand. Open, yes, but full of your
own chutzpah. Last year at a workshop a woman picked up her
brush, pointed it at me, and said: "Don't talk to me Mr. Genn,
just go about your business with the other painters." For two
days her fingers never stopped moving. I couldn't help noticing
her ears growing larger.

Current clickback: If you would like to see selected,
illustrated responses to the last letter, "Perspective," please
go to: http://www.painterskeys.com/clickbacks/perspective.asp

Profiles of the art gurus for this year's "Great American Art
Event" are at:
http://www.greatamericanartevent.com/instructors.htm

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