A little history.

I have been drawing for a long time. I was skipping class junior year in high school and Mr. Palmer, the junior high art teacher, told me that if I was going to be using his classroom to skip class I’d better be doing something. He gave me a drawing board with a sheet of good drawing paper and a pencil. He set me down in front of a still life that contained a wicker basket, wine glass and an antique hand mirror. He told me to make a drawing. 30 minutes later he came over and took the paper away from me gave me a new sheet and told me to come back tomorrow and try again. The next day he did the same thing to me but on my third piece of paper he came over and didn’t say anything or take the paper away. I skipped class a few more times until Mr. Palmer spoke to someone and then I was a regular in his art room.

I called the drawing “Life in a basket” Mr. Palmer loved the drawing and as soon as I was done he put me in front of another still life only this time with a rapidograph pen. This still life had an old lantern and some cruddy wood in it. I did a stippling technique on the lantern and cross hatching on the wood. Both of these drawings were super hot for still life pieces and made me realize that I wanted to make art forever. I thought then that art could change the world and I do now. Mr Palmer said it over and over again we can make the world a better place through art. He would be the first of a string of teachers who would influence me on my way to becoming the artist and person I am today.

Education can change the world.