"The Emperor Has No Clothes"
mixed media
9" x 12"
So, at long last, I actually post a picture of a painting. I'm assuming most of you would rather look at paintings than read my blather. I'll give you both for good measure.
I worked on this picture at school, in 5 minute bursts at the end of a few classes, over a 5 day period. It probably won't sway you to like the painting, or dislike it less, but I'll have to admit, the original is much more enjoyable to see. There's all sorts of texture and transparency that my limited photo skills can't capture. This painting is currently at the Brown County Art Guild, in Nashville, Indiana, with four other pictures I'm pretty proud of. I'll save the long story for another night, but "The Guild" will soon be one of just a couple galleries to show my work here in Indiana (hurry, start the car).
Working on things at school is a lot of fun. I don't have any spare time throughout the day, but I occasionally plan my classes so that I can work for a few minutes while the students are finishing up. I don't advertise that I'm working on something, I just sit down at a table and let them come to me. Here's an example from last week, while I was working on the painting above...
I sit down with my materials and start to make a mark.
"LeGrand?" I get up and help someone with their work.
I sit back down.
"Hey LeGrand?" I get up again. (Chumbawamba moment)
I sit back down and get to work.
"Whatcha doin' LeGrand?"
"Experimenting"
"Looks to me like you're painting, LeGrand."
"Yes, I'm experimenting with some paint."
A few students gather over my shoulder. "What is it?"
"It's a painting."
"Of what?"
"Of this."
"What is that?"
"I'm not sure, an experiment, I guess."
Another student chimes in, "What is it?"
"A painting," replies the first investigator.
"A painting of what?"
"It's just a painting. It's an abstract painting. It doesn't have to be of anything, right LeGrand?"
I reply, "I sure hope not."
The now slightly larger group of students behind me continue chattering with uncertainty or newly discovered confidence about the merit of my work.
"I like it, whatever it is, LeGrand."
"Thanks. Is your work done?"
"For today?"
"Oh, does the bell ring earlier today?"
"Alright, Alright...I'll get back to work."
Someone across the room yells, "LeGrand?"
I get up from my unfinished "abstract painting". I'll return to it for a couple minutes sometime during 6th period. It's 2nd period now. I sat down to make a mark 90 seconds ago.
With any luck, enough of those fleeting moments will have an impact on a student or two. If for nothing else, I think it's a good practice to make myself a little vulnerable from time to time...to keep my ego in check and to keep the kids on their toes. I've been critiqued up one side and down the other by all sorts of "art authorities". So much so, I don't really care to put myself out there for any feedback from my peers anymore. Truth is, after you've experienced the blatant, untainted by preconceived notions of what art is, honest opinions of high school freshman, you realize all of that pretentious gallery chatter doesn't mean a thing. You can keep your critique, save your analysis, and just tell me the truth...
Is it bad? Is it good? Is it stupid? Is it interesting?
What the hell is it?
