Progress: No.23

In conversation with another student a few days ago, the term "painting academically" got mentioned, which kind of threw me off guard. She looked forward to graduation so she could paint as she liked. We'd been talking about the teaching differences among professors. A bunch of the teachers at school teach how they paint, as though it were the only right way. It disturbed me that she felt she had to "paint academically" to appease her independent study professor. It has been important to me to develop my "voice" as a painter while still in school, while I still have access to these minds.

I work with Michael Phillips for my independent study. No one could ever say that he teaches you to paint like he does. I've been working with him for the last year and half, and if you compare our styles, they're worlds apart. As a teacher he presses you to find a voice, a style that is personal to you. It is a shame that some of my fellow independent study students paint differently for fear of condemnation from their professors.