This is going to be a very difficult piece for me to write. I related last week how I had received a dressing down, rather demeaning in some ways, and half-jokingly said `he must have read my blog', although I meant some of the comments not what I had written. I did contemplate just dropping the subject without anymore posts but decided otherwise. This will be the final one.
On arrival one of the long term students approached me, asked for a word and then said my blog had caused `great hurt' and would I stop it. My response was no as I didn't and don't feel what has been written is unfair comment, indeed if anything I've pulled my punches. It came over like the headmistress admonishing a naughty pupil.
I thought to myself this has started well and it didn't get any better. However on to the session. We had the same model as the first week, a young lady who again posed nude. The setup was almost identical with her on a raised platform with large easels at the four corners. The initial pose was standing and as we were at the opposite side we had a full frontal view.
On arrival one of the long term students approached me, asked for a word and then said my blog had caused `great hurt' and would I stop it. My response was no as I didn't and don't feel what has been written is unfair comment, indeed if anything I've pulled my punches. It came over like the headmistress admonishing a naughty pupil.
I thought to myself this has started well and it didn't get any better. However on to the session. We had the same model as the first week, a young lady who again posed nude. The setup was almost identical with her on a raised platform with large easels at the four corners. The initial pose was standing and as we were at the opposite side we had a full frontal view.
As usual Saied first gave a long dissertation about what he wanted us to do and also spoke at length about Art, Art history, mentioned several greats of the past and also what made an artist. He also expressed his views about what you had to do to become a professional. His definition of professional is someone who does the sort of things he espouses, while amateurs do the opposite. This is a simplification as he goes on at great length about this `professional' and `amateur' classification but to try and remember all of it or write it down longhand is impossible.
A3 Unfinished
This was my attempt at the first pose. We were again asked to ensure the background and model were one whole using the various angles. verticals and horizontals, pipes, doors, easels etc to get the spacing and proportions right, not isolating the model from the background. The two should be done together not separately or as an afterthought. I found this difficult as I have done all along. Where to start is the first problem. I have attempted all along to do what he asks rather than do my own thing, ignoring his instructions. He has obviously thought otherwise. I wasn't allowed to photograph the nude subjects, which I established at the start of the course. I quite understand that. We were initially told this was a 20 minute drawing at which I inwardly groaned- I need far more time. In the event it did extend longer than 20 minutes but I finished unhappy with the result and the drawing remained unsatisfactory.
We then had a break for tea of about twenty minutes.
A3 Unfinished
For the final pose the model was positioned on a small stool with her hands resting on a larger one. I made a determined effort to produce something better with much use of the eraser and redrawing. There are faults, some of which I'm aware of others probably not. Under normal circumstances I'd be fairly pleased with it but here you await his verdict with trepidation. However during the whole of the session he didn't speak to me nor me to him. He critiqued both Pat on my left and the lady on my right.
Thus ended my final session of this workshop as I've decided to call it a day. The final session is a sort of end of term one with the morning and afternoon groups mixing with refreshments starting around 12 noon. I can't get there until 2pm . Pat will be on holiday and under the circumstances I'm better out of it. It would just be embarrassing.
What went wrong? Everything it would seem. There was no empathy between me and Saied. I certainly wouldn't want to give the impression he is nasty or unpleasant. He doesn't come across like that at all although what he says, both to the mass of students and individually is very harsh, nor does he have a high opinion of anyone he sees as not meeting his exceptionally high standards. His views on the state of the Art world are controversial and remember this is his opinion not necessarily fact, others may see it differently. I just made a wrong choice with this course at this stage of my life.
As to my part in this sorry tale- I stress sorry personally. The group comprised 10 - 12 people, varying slightly week by week. Apart from myself and the other new man - both on our first courses with him - all the rest are female and all, apart from Pat had been with him previously. Indeed some there had also been on the morning course prior to the afternoon session. They seem to lap him up. He has been doing these courses, morning and afternoon, for many years and has taught thousands (in his words) of students. He claims to do it as a labour of love as he earns his living by painting and only does this one day a week course. Each ten week session costs £200, which is higher than most , and it seems he has no difficulty in filling them. In appearance he reminds me of the well-known late actor Gene Wilder, even down to the hairstyle, who also painted and was a friend of my guru Charles Reid.
It hasn't been my finest hour but different strokes for different folks. Saied Dai lives for painting while with me it is a recreational hobby taken up at a late - too late - stage of my life. I have always regarded myself as a serious amateur but I do have other priorities. I've suffered a great deal of frustration and heart searching on this course. I've listened to him, despite what he may think, and don't question the principles he teaches but to me painting is (was) an enjoyable hobby and I am sorry to say mostly I've not enjoyed it.