For some reason, my mind has drifted to a professor I had once, years ago. His name was Gibbs Milliken, and he was in the Art Department faculty at UT Austin. He was just cute, first of all: slender, medium-to-long hair, usually dressed in chinos or fatigues and rubber tire-soled sandals. He painted rocks: portraits of rocks. He had been selected to paint the first group of rocks brought back from the moon. He made many trips through the wilds of South America photographing flora and fauna. He was quite accomplished, especially for someone who presented himself so casually, for someone who could not take himself seriously. He was a free spirit that wouldn't be trapped, though he was married to a woman he loved and respected; in all the time I knew him, I never heard that he had fooled around with students. I admired him for that then, and I admire him for it today.
One thing he said that I never forgot: He was talking about the years of diligence it takes to make a good painter, and how so few people understand this. He recalled one of his jungle excursions when a fellow "explorer" asked him if he'd paint a butterfly. So Gibbs went into his tent and reemerged later with his painting of a butterfly, and the friend was ecstatic.
"That's absolutely wonderful!" he gushed. "How long did it take you to paint this?"
Gibbs said, "Oh, about 20 years.... and 20 minutes."
I figure that until 20 years go by, nobody can tell if he or she is an artist or not, whether the ensuing 20 minutes will amount to anything. Personally, I have a few to go, and I just hope I live so long!
By the way, Gibbs died about 18 months ago with cancer.
PW
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Discussions about art and what makes it happen.
Upon further Reflection on my Father
About Me
- Priscilla Wallace
- My first attempt to enter the world of fine art was through academic painting at the University of Texas at Austin. I learned what painting was, and, disappointingly, that I couldn’t do it. I left painting as one would leave a failed marriage. It was some years later that I approached making art through making crafts. Since then, I have come to regard fine crafts as fine art: The difference between the two exist on a theoretical level only, because a line separating them cannot be drawn—at least, not for me. In a world made of both “art” and “craft” I have found my home. My artwork seems to best be called “Crafted Paintings.” Still mindful of the principles of design, they are part collage, part mixed media painting, part constructions. They are likely to run off in any of these directions, or others, as the spirit moves them. That spirit expands most successfully when it is beautiful, whimsical, colorful, and rich. These pieces celebrate life in one aspect of it or another, and they seek to create joy in the heart of the viewer. View my art at www.artbycollage.com
Places currenly showing Priscilla's Art
- Mountain Micro Systems (828-438-9456)
- Hair and Nails Unlimited (828-433-0894)
- Valdese Heritage Arts Center (828-874-1849)
- Urban Artware (336-722-2345)
- Full Circle Arts (828-322-7545)
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1 comment:
What a touching and profound comment by Priscilla Wallace. I am acquainted with her work and now have sliver of insight on one of the influences of that work.
Truer words could not have beenspoken by her mentor. Truly everything we do is not just an expression in the instance of creating, but is another outgorwth of all that has gone on before in our lives---not only creative attempts but from our living.
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