the job of the artist

"The job of the artist is to uplift man's soul"
from the George Gallo movie, 'Local Color'

In elementary school, they taught us the names of the colors...
red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black.

At home, I learned these in French, before I ever went to school.

At home, I learned the names of the colors...
crimson, vermillion, burnt umber, sienna, turquoise, spruce, lavender, indigo, cobalt, sky, silver.

My mother had been a private chef for a wealthy family in Vermont, the Townsends.  The Townsends planned a trip to Europe.  They had my mother move to Boston with them, while they prepared for their trip.
When they sailed off, my mother remained in Boston. While there, she took Art Classes at the Boston Museum of  Fine Art. 
She was quite good, too!

After she died, I had a braid of her hair, and one charcoal of an Indian Maiden with braids.

We were poor, had no television much of the time, so mother and Da would gather us around the kitchen table and teach us art!

One of the reasons I am not a successful painter, is that my mother painted.  One of the reasons I am a Fiber Artist, is that she did not weave or spin!

They taught us how to do good art.  Composition, depth, shadowing.
They also taught us not to do art, not realistic, no money.

I struggle to reconcile this.  Yet, I have no choice! 
The expressions jump right out of me!  I YEARN! 
I go to museums, I get up real close, I live those brushstrokes! 
Yet, I have not had adequate training.

I can sketch well.  Once, as a child, I found some Pitcher Plants along the shore, sat down and did a sketch.  My father was overwhelmed with me! One, I had not picked or crushed them! Two, I made a wonderful likeness!

I have tried painting at two times in my life.  Hardly enough.
This movie was a mirror of the need to say something in color and texture!
I will buy an easel to take on my walks.