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How did a non-talented, half-deaf, middle-age, balding? man suddenly begin oil painting to the praise and admiration of so many family members and friends?? I ran into someone who made the ridiculous claim they could teach me to oil paint.? So if my statement sounds ridiculous, that's good news.? After all these years, its still amazing to me and I never tire of hearing someone exclaim, "You painted that!"? Not only have I painted these fantastic scenes, but I can teach you these same techniques.? Sometimes, I just can't believe how easy it was to learn to paint all those beautiful paintings you'll see throughout this website.? Of one thing I am confident.? Around 1985, after retirement, my father began painting using Acrylics. He lived in Arizona and I in Massachusetts. On occasion, he would send me a painting or pictures of his most recent works. They were nice, and his technique improved........ever so gradually.? Whereas he certainly enjoyed each painting he created, his work did anything but motivate me to paint.? I loved his work because he was doing it and he was having fun.? But painting wasn?t exciting to me.? I didn't have any desire to paint watching him. Watching his struggles to master the techniques of his style only reinforced my attitude. In fact, I could sum up the entire art of painting in one word----BORING.
This changed in January, 1992 at a flea market just outside Taunton, MA of all places.? As my wife and I walked up and down the aisles on that cold, January Saturday we saw an excellent demonstration of the "Wet-On-Wet" oil painting Technique by New Beford Artist, Jessie Martin.? His partner Sid, constantly announced to passer-bys, "just like they do on TV". So on this fateful day in January, 1992, I told this demonstrator and his sidekick exactly that. "Man, you're crazy! Not anyone can do this. You must be an artist or have a great deal of talent."? I was so convinced that we spent a good 15 minutes arguing. Finally Sid said, "Listen, the class is free. You don't have to pay a penny. But if you want the painting you've done, it'll cost you $35.00" That was fine. I could live with it. So I sat down. Now mind you, I'd never painted before in my life. I can't draw. I was challenged simply drawing stick men. I knew nothing about art and had zero talent. Well, the class started and before long, I wanted to succeed. I wanted to be proven wrong. I wanted to believe that I could do it! I. A 43 year old guy that couldn't paint, draw or had an ounce of artistic talent ever. I wanted to succeed!? I wear hearing aids, so I listened real hard to each and every word the instructor uttered. He said to do something, I did it. Didn't ask why, just did it. Absolute magic happened. I don't know how, but the following 3 hours were the most delightful time I ever had. I totally forgot about everything else in the whole world and just concentrated on my world. It was one of the most beautiful times I'd ever experienced. When the three hours were up, I had a masterpiece. Mind you, not just another painting, but an honest masterpiece that I was ever so proud of. I still have it today and it proudly hangs in my family room. What, wait a minute.?? I couldn't let this go. I asked the instructor if he gave private lessons or group lessons. He said no. I asked him to teach me privately and he didn't believe I was serious.? So between February and April I began to look for someone who could teach me to oil paint just like they do on TV. I couldn't find anyone. Then one day I was home sick, watching TV and flipping through the channels and came across your Public Television show. At the end of the program a phone number was given and so I called the Bob Ross company and a kind gentleman gave me the telephone numbers of all Certified Ross Instructors (CRI) in my area. I called each CRIs and told them of my experience and desires. I wanted to know everything and yesterday. I settled on CRI Artist, Norabelle Wilcox because she offered a five week beginner's course. Week 1 was clouds, then mountains, then trees, then water and then a week of our choice. Well I took the class from her starting April 24, 1992. I asked her to provide me with everything I would need to practice at home and she did. Each week I went to class and then would do 6 to 10 paintings a week for practice. Norabelle kept reminding me of one of Bob Ross' favorite quotes ....."I can turn anyone into a great painter if they would but practice." Well, I didn't have any talent, but I certainly could practice. And practice I did. By July, 1992 I'd completed over 150 paintings and my enthusiasm hadn't diminished. But my brushes were looking a bit rough. So I called the Bob Ross company to find out if I was misusing my brushes or was this normal. They didn't provide technical answers, but kindly referred me to those wonderful people at Martin F. Webber. Well, I thought I was getting a run-around at first. But I called Martin Webber Company anyway. No one could answer my questions right, but I was assured someone would call me back. Right! I thought. Well to my absolute pleasure and amazement. I got a return call from Ms. Christiansen and we had a delightful conversation for nearly a half an hour. The people at my church were so impressed with my paintings that they literally begged me to teach them. So twice a month I held two classes where I taught the basic technique I've learned from the Bob Ross style under Norabell and especially Jessie Martin. I didn't charge them anything except a couple of dollars to cover my cost for the paints. They taught me so much about how to teach. The basic thing is "Have FUN?
One of my greatest pleasure though has been working with special needs high school students. During a recent December, I took a 2-week vacation and my wife asked me if I would be willing to come to the Milford, MA High School where she works and teach seven handicapped children how to paint.
Of course! These kids are absolutely special. They all have different problems, as they are either mentally or physically or emotionally handicapped and require considerable effort and patience in teaching. The school puts them into a "special needs" program generally away from the rest of the high school student body. Well, this would be the most difficult challenge yet. So I said yes. I went out and bought five sets of brushes and painting knives, canvasses and everything I would need. I scanned throughout my books trying to come up with a simple, but beautiful painting they could do. Then my wife told me that I could choose any scene so long as it had a mountain. Well, I hadn't thought of doing a mountain scene as a very first painting. But if that is what they wanted, then that's what I would do. I cannot share sufficiently for the words just simply don't exist to adequately describe the "magic" that happened that day. Those kids were so beautiful. They worked so very hard. They listened to every word and no matter what their handicap, they met every challenging brush stroke with total enthusiasm. At the end of the day, they had seven very beautiful and extraordinarly special paintings. The word spread throughout the High School that day something really unique was happening in the Sped's Class (Special Education Class). All day long while I was teaching my students there was a steady stream of teachers and High School students coming by for a look at work in progress. It turned out that on that particular day, the High School was hosting a special conference for Special Ed Teachers from all over the state of Massachusetts. When that conference heard about what was going on at the Speds, they all had to rush over and observe. We had at one time over 50 teachers viewing 7 special ed students learning to paint. At the end of the day, my wife awarded each of the students with a pine frame. The students wrapped up their paintings when dried and presented them to their parents on Christmas morning. My wife was told stories by the students after the holidays of parents who literally cried when they opened their Christmas presents and discovered the beauty their special sons and daughters had created for them. |
