"Bruce"
18 inches x 12 inches
Oil On Bristol Vellum
Prepped With P.V.A Size and Gesso
2010
I remember when we first met, it was for my merit scholarship interview, in 1997. I was a young and insecure lad, who was afraid that I'd be considered a fraud; irrationally thinking that my work might not be considered valid, that I didn't deserve the title "artist." I carted my work into the room, sprawling it out on the floor and leaning it against the walls. He shook my hand, and gazed deeply. I think that we were alloted 20 mins., other kids were waiting outside. Next thing I know, we've been chatting and really hitting it off for a while, the person in charge of ushering the students came in and mentioned that other people were waiting. "Let them wait! And don't interrupt us again!" He said. We talked about art, poetry, philosophy, life, the Beats (discovering that him and my folks had been friends with the same people back in the day; e.g. Neal Cassidy (a close friend of my father's), Kesey, Ginsburg, etc.). An hour and a half later, we emerged from the room! He hugged my parents and told them that they'd raised a wonderful son. Needless to say, I was aglow. From theretoforward I swore that I would be sure to spend my life as an artist, and would never shy away from admitting to it again.