My first juried show since...

[David Draime]

I know it's a small thing, but I just had a piece accepted for a juried show in the Cannon Art Gallery in Carlsbad, CA. My first juried show since college (when I was a young, idealistic abstract expressionist) - a long time ago. The piece was the first thing I posted on this site - "Jolanda."

I guess I am - officially - no longer a "hermit portrait artist!"

Now if I could only land that first commission...

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by David Draime

Now if I could only land that first commission...

David,

Don

[Garth Herrick]

[QUOTE=Allan Rahbek]David,

Don

[Linda Brandon]

David, this is only the beginning of a long and prosperous art career. Good for you! Shows are tough to get into and I'm so happy for you. You deserve this, and more.

[David Draime]

Thank you my Danish friend. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Originally Posted by Garth Herrick

Now I am curious to see some of your earlier abtract expressionist beginnings. I bet they were amazing too!

Garth

They weren't. Like many of us, I floundered in the wilderness of postmodernism. As always, thank you for your generous remarks.

Linda, thank you so much. Right now I am just about done with adolescents - especially the goofs who don't want to work, or - worse, the ones who are rude, talk back, protest..."could you please pick up that colored pencil and put it on the table" I politely ask. "But I didn't do it!!! It's not mine!!!" ....... and I think - I could be working on a portrait right now....It's always around March that it feels like the school year should end....I so WISH I could do portraits FT. Oh, what a joy that day will be... I envy you.

Sorry about the whining.

[Chris Saper]

Congratulations, very well-deserved!

Keep us informed

[Julie Deane]

Originally Posted by David Draime

..... and I think - I could be working on a portrait right now....It's always around March that it feels like the school year should end....I so WISH I could do portraits FT....Sorry about the whining.

Hi David -

I work in a school system too. I SO know what you're talking about Maybe I'll whine too....

Congrats on the show! It's just a matter of time before you are rolling in commissions, I bet.

[Sharon Knettell]

I want to repeat the word ELEGANT!

I taught at the Rhode Island School of Design for three years. Talk about wandering in the thankless desert of post-modernism. The foundation drawing course was experiments with textures marks and shapes. It was split in two, fortunately the other half got figure drawing, though most of them seemed to have skipped those classes. The best figurative teacher they had was relegated to the night classes.

The students and teachers seem to enjoy and wallow in their artistic ignorance. It depressed so much I quit!

[David Draime]

Thanks Chris! I'll let you know if anything comes of it.

Originally Posted by Julie Deane

It's just a matter of time before you are rolling in commissions, I bet.

Julie, I sure hope you are right. I do have a few exceptional students who, thankfully, are serious, want to learn and appreciate what I'm trying to give them. But some days....

Thanks Sharon. It's amazing now when I think of how many years I spent - wasted - trying to come up with something "new" or cutting-edge, trying to make a mark in a "post-modern world" that now, just seems like a total fiction - and, in the meantime, not developing any real set of skills or technique as an artist. Now, I feel so grounded, focused, connected, knowing exactly what I want to do, ....I know what I like, what I don't like (though that is always evolving) what I wish to accomplish - it really feels like a "calling" ...and boy does it feel good! - just to have that sense of certainty, as opposed to the utter confusion - which I was getting used to. And I owe a great deal of this newfound sense of purpose as a portrait artist to the Forum. It really has changed my life! I never dreamed I'd say that about a website, but it's true. Of course, we all know - it's much more than a website....