SCHOOL DAZE

Monday and Tuesday this week I spent doing my orientation at PAFA and it was fun. I got to meet all the students in my "track" and it's gratifying to know there
are many students there my age or older enrolling as freshmen now or
transfering in, or going back like me to get or finish their degree. It's nice nobody thinks I'm 45 (soon to be 46) haha! Also lots of pretty girls in art school, so that's a bonus too :=) man, there were never so many pretty girls when I was in
school before...what's with that? is there something in the food? And
admitedly there are also some freaks, but hey...what's an art school
without some crazies?

I have been hanging around the school a lot the last year, even taking a CE class for credit, but I guess going thru with it being all about me, not Echo, is different. She was there helping with the orintation, set up and run things and showing the newbies and parents around, she was going to take them on a Chinatown tour, but not enough people signed up.

I have to say I am more excited about this than anything I can remember
in a long time, YEARSSSSSS and I think it's also because it's all about
me, not about somebody's show, somebody's script, solving somebody
else's problems. Hey, I am proud of my career, not saying I'm not, but
being able to go back to school and THIS school is really great. But
maybe the best thing besides getting better skills as a painter and all
that is--- I don't know where it will lead me, in both career and more importantly, as an artist. I know it will be better for sure, but who knows, 5-6 years from
now I could just be painting and teaching, or who knows????

Tuesday I got some more time with the teachers, dept heads and got my
official schedule. I will be effectivley literally splitting my life in
half like Peter Parker. In fact think of me as a Ditko head drawing,
split-face, one side in the art-mask with brushes and pencils replacing
the Spidey-sense.

First part of the week until half day Wednesday will be all school,
then the rest of the week I will have to be working and teaching (one
class only now--Friday morning) down at DCAD again. I wanted to keep my hand in the
teaching ring, this being my 5th year...how'd that happen so fast? I hear the class of animators is supposed to be a good one this year and it's the largest class yet I think.

I have to say the whole process was was so well run too, very organized and it's clear the staff, everyone really loves the school and wants us to as well. I had some good chats with some of my future teachers, they were interested to have me talk about my career, experience and why I was coming back to school. I think this did help some of the students too. And one of the painting teacher Mike Gallagher is a fan of some comics like Jimmy Corrigan, so we sort of hit it off a bit.

But for me, the most exciting thing was taking a tour of the art vault or The Academy Archives below the school museum. There they have over 11,000 works on paper alone, everything from artists sketchbooks, drawings of all sorts, water colors, etchings etc. We were given a great tour by the lady who runs the rights and reproductions dept., she showed us examples of two great little sketchbooks by students of the school from the 1800's, just amazing drawings in 2B pencil mostly, a travel sketchbook full of female portraits and one where the artists was drawing great caraicature type drawings of his fellow students. Plus several of Thomas Eakins own personal drawings and paintings studies. Then got to see some more paintings, of which they have thousands as well, inluding some of the most iconic images of American art ever produced...and the best part is I get to go see it, I just have to make an appointment! If I see a painting or image I want I can pay to get a high rez copy and printout! As a student I can request to see for instance the museums collections of Maxfield Parrish student figure drawings, or Eakins cast drawings, or Edward Hoppers drawings etc.

How great is that?


Depending on how things go I will be doing the same thing next term, splitting my time, but I hope to move up to 3/4 time, but the fact is I have to still make my bread to support this by working, so unless I win the powerball....

I know there is frustration and struggles to come, but they will be the best ones for me.

I'll keep you guys and gal posted on how things progress.

Mike