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Marvin, thanks for telling that story. I remember when I first learned the actual meaning of the expression avant garde. At the time (mid-70s) artists were using it as a synonym for abstract art, experiential art, conceptual, non-representational art--anything but realism. I turned to the person who defined it for me and said in amazement, "But REALISM is the real avant garde!" She looked at me like I was crazy.
We live near the Brandywine Valley and we spend time in Maine in the summer, so I am very familiar with Andrew Wyeth's two worlds. This summer I went to Monhegan with five other artists to paint for a week. Monhegan is about 9 miles out to sea, and the ferry pssses near the Wyeths' island and family compound on its route. Usually they avoid that particular channel alongside his island because it is shallower, but at hgh tide sometimes the Ferry captain will go right by. We were lucky: on our way back to the mainland he took us that way. I felt like a silly tourist as I snapped this photo, but here is my parting glimpse of Andrew Wyeth.
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