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            At school I’m teaching in a department that has four week classes, part of a nine month program for the students. Basically every month I see a new set of students and work with them for that module of class. Sometimes I teach the same students several different courses. Since many of the students are young, often recently out of high school, their level of maturity is still very much adolescent. I am reminded of my own arrogant youth.

            I hate to admit it, but there was a period of time when I was not a very good student. High school was a tumultuous time filled with the desire to fit in, longing to escape the confines of home, fear of being doomed to mediocrity, and general uncertainty about the future. Art was not particularly on my mind even though sometimes I rather egotistically thought myself to be some singularly great creative genius. That was part of the fantasy I carried around in my head while actually creating a fairly conservative high school career that did include involvement in a variety of clubs, organizations, and social circles. All of this I dropped right after graduation, which began my period of rebellion.

            My choice to pursue art rather than engineering was a challenging one but one I’ve never regretted. What I do regret is my attitude for several years during this transitional phase. No one could tell me what was true. I knew the truth, and I pontificated often upon my version of it. I ignored my teachers, rankled under their criticism, and wasted a good deal of time and their energy spent trying to wake me up. Eventually I did wake up and began to learn how to learn. This is when I also began to understand the real power and significance of art.

            Being an artist, for me, is about an attitude, not an egotistical posture of ‘being an artist.’ It is about coming from a mindset that the world is a miraculous place that is endlessly, creatively expressive – creation, transformation, destruction, revitalization – all of these ongoing processes that constitute life. In some small way, the artist emulates this creative process of change and renewal in order, I think, to simply appreciate and express appreciation for what is so abundantly around us. I hope that in some small way I can impart my insight to the students I encounter with regularity regardless of subject.