I am not an artist, but I am "crafty." I like to color, and I like anything involving construction paper. This month, I decided to branch out, so I registered for an art class downtown. It's only 4 sessions, so I think I can handle that. It's called "Mimicking the Masters: Rothko." I have never painted before, but why let that stop me? As for Rothko, I don't know anything about him or why he is a "Master." In fact I never heard of him until Bee got a Rothko tattoo on her forearm. The first time I saw it, I was horrified. It was huge and fresh and scabby and we were eating sushi. A fine introduction to an American Master.
I got excited about my adventure, so I told my sister (who is a bonefied artist) and Mom, of course. My sister yawned, and Mom offered sarcastic encouragement: "I'm sure you will do well painting big rectangles of different colors." Well then. Maybe it would be fun to go with an enthused girlfriend. Too bad Bee lives far away. I was shot down no fewer than 8 times. I thought, "This doesn't bode well."
Heading alone to class the first night, my excitement fading, I had two basic expectations: (1) to not be bored, and (2) to learn something - anything - interesting. I found the classroom, and took the last remaining seat. I was the fourth of four to arrive. I was easily the youngest pupil by 15 years or more. The instructor is probably in his early 30's, small in frame, and soft-spoken. I had to lean over my work space in order to hear him, 10 feet away. Oh boy, Expectation #1 was going to be tough. But unlike everyone I told about my class, Teacher is excited about Mark Rothko. In awe of Mark Rothko. Teacher is endearing. I was not bored for a single minute. Expectation #1: Met.
Each week, Teacher plans to introduce a separate chapter of Rothko's life. Starting with his late, most well-known works like Bee's tattoo (titled White Center), he will end the series with Rothko's earlier, lesser-known style of painting. In the 1950's, later in his career, Rothko painted his "multiform style," comprising several blocks of layered colors on large canvases (canvi??). Some of his works are the size of a wall. These works are meant to represent or evoke emotion. Some people have been known to stand before them and weep in their grandeur. At the height of his career, Rothko was not interested in painting objects that could easily be named or described, like still life or portraits. Expectation #2: Met.
Teacher explained that Rothko's multiform style involved layers of paint and basic color. He gave the assignment: Choose an emotion and represent it on your canvas. Huh? Oh, God. Hate? Fear? Sadness? Anger? Grief? Who wants to paint those things, let alone look at them as art on your wall? Even Happiness seemed mundane. I went with something more representative of the moment: Confusion. Is that an emotion? But I focused on it. Contemplation. Uncertainty. Doubt. What the hell color is Doubt?
Violet. Doubt feels violet. With only primary colors to work with, I did the logical thing by mixing blue and yellow. Whoops. Okay, Doubt is green. I went with it. I slathered my canvas with green. Hey, slathering is fun! Slather slather slather. All done. What now? When we felt confident with our canvi, we were told to start blocking out more colors. Confident with my canvas? Is it okay to feel Confident when your subject is Doubt? This is getting deep. This is abstract art, so I decided yes. I told myself Doubt is the new Confidence. Proceed, all ye Doubters! Slather onward!
Blue! More blue! White! Add black; make gray! Teacher wandered the room with comments. Me and my AARP posse started to discuss our color choices. Four enlightened companions in slather. I am an abstract artist! Mental note to self: Next week bring a smock.
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| Bee's Rothko tattoo, healed. |
Heading alone to class the first night, my excitement fading, I had two basic expectations: (1) to not be bored, and (2) to learn something - anything - interesting. I found the classroom, and took the last remaining seat. I was the fourth of four to arrive. I was easily the youngest pupil by 15 years or more. The instructor is probably in his early 30's, small in frame, and soft-spoken. I had to lean over my work space in order to hear him, 10 feet away. Oh boy, Expectation #1 was going to be tough. But unlike everyone I told about my class, Teacher is excited about Mark Rothko. In awe of Mark Rothko. Teacher is endearing. I was not bored for a single minute. Expectation #1: Met.
Each week, Teacher plans to introduce a separate chapter of Rothko's life. Starting with his late, most well-known works like Bee's tattoo (titled White Center), he will end the series with Rothko's earlier, lesser-known style of painting. In the 1950's, later in his career, Rothko painted his "multiform style," comprising several blocks of layered colors on large canvases (canvi??). Some of his works are the size of a wall. These works are meant to represent or evoke emotion. Some people have been known to stand before them and weep in their grandeur. At the height of his career, Rothko was not interested in painting objects that could easily be named or described, like still life or portraits. Expectation #2: Met.
Teacher explained that Rothko's multiform style involved layers of paint and basic color. He gave the assignment: Choose an emotion and represent it on your canvas. Huh? Oh, God. Hate? Fear? Sadness? Anger? Grief? Who wants to paint those things, let alone look at them as art on your wall? Even Happiness seemed mundane. I went with something more representative of the moment: Confusion. Is that an emotion? But I focused on it. Contemplation. Uncertainty. Doubt. What the hell color is Doubt?
Violet. Doubt feels violet. With only primary colors to work with, I did the logical thing by mixing blue and yellow. Whoops. Okay, Doubt is green. I went with it. I slathered my canvas with green. Hey, slathering is fun! Slather slather slather. All done. What now? When we felt confident with our canvi, we were told to start blocking out more colors. Confident with my canvas? Is it okay to feel Confident when your subject is Doubt? This is getting deep. This is abstract art, so I decided yes. I told myself Doubt is the new Confidence. Proceed, all ye Doubters! Slather onward!
Blue! More blue! White! Add black; make gray! Teacher wandered the room with comments. Me and my AARP posse started to discuss our color choices. Four enlightened companions in slather. I am an abstract artist! Mental note to self: Next week bring a smock.
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