Music: Spice Girls “Wannabe” This is a portrait of one of my students from the first year I taught. Her name was Brittany and she was very nice and a very good student. But what I remember most about her was how sporty she always dressed. She always wore jersey like shirts and cool tracksuits. She reminded me of Sporty Spice (thus the music choice for this video). I have always painted people I worked with, took class with, or were students in my class. I always picked subjects who were nice and hardworking but also had some quality I thought was cool or interesting. And I liked Brittany’s daily uniform of sportswear. I made this drawing with oil pastels; a medium I dislike. I love Degas and the creative and ingenious manner in which he employed pastels; but I’ve never liked using them myself. But I am happy with this work. The first four years I taught were probably the happiest of my life. I found an occupation I could fully devote myself to and a vocation which I found a natural affinity for. You can take as many education classes as you want; but the ability to stand in front of others and command their attention is a natural gift or trait which many people have and many people do not. I was so joyous to have found a job I could do, I believe, just as well as making art. In his play “Man and Superman,” George Bernard Shaw wrote “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” That, of course, is complete and utter bullshit. It is only intimate knowledge, demonstrable abilities, and passion for a subject which convinces others that you even posses the right to attempt to teach them. My continuous devotion to and demonstration of my artistic knowledge and abilities inspired my students to create artworks that they, and others, were surprised they could create. Many students told me how their parents didn’t believe that they had actually made the pictures they brought home. Which I took as a compliment and also a commentary on, perhaps, parenting or the state of art education.

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#drawing #pastel #portrait #retrato #sporty