I often joke about the pool we belong to being a cult. We hang out together, we volunteer for stuff we don’t want to do because it’s necessary, we share food and parenting duties. But it’s a cult I’m thrilled to belong to, so it’s OK.
Years ago, I team taught a senior seminar with a sculpture teacher. We were far too like minded and both tended to shrug a lot when we couldn’t find anything to say. The students were awesome so our input wasn’t truly necessary. I very clearly remember a student showing us a large oil painting and we both struggled to make meaningful comments. The student was frustrated and asked if we even liked painting.
“Sure, but it’s not my thing.” I replied.
This resulted in a long discussion of classical approaches to art. I don’t remember that part of the conversation but I remember thinking that I actually did like painting but I didn’t feel like doing it.
Flash forward 20 years and I’m painting with watercolors a lot. I’ve decided that I like painting now. Elizabeth Peyton’s portraits occupy a special place in my heart and so this might be my new cult.
