The drama was this:
I worked on a painting for two weeks and was extremely pleased on how it turned out. My teacher told me I had to sign my name in black in the lower right corner of the painting like she had done in all her paintings for the past 30 years.
That's where I had my problem. A bold, black signature in the lower right corner would've totally thrown the flow of the image down the toilet.
I asked her if I could sign in a light blue on the left side of the painting where it would blend in a little better and she told me if I did that she would give me an "F". Signatures belonged in the lower right corner in BLACK like she signs her paintings. Period.
Filled with some teen angst and a new artistic bottom line, I wasn't going to ruin my painting and went home that night, told my parents I was about to receive an "F". They called to set up a conference with the art teacher the next night.
(I grew up in an artistic household. My mother was the vice president of the World Organization of Porcelain Artists. She has traveled the world, has a vase in a museum in Germany, was invited as a cultural diplomat to China, etc. I knew my mother would understand and stick up for my fledgling artistic bottom line.)
After meeting with the teacher, who informed me & my parents that I, as well as the other students, would never be any sort of artist who would amount to much (eek! I KNOW! How DARE she say that?!), they came to agreement that I would be allowed to sign my name in the left in light blue and she wouldn't give me an "F".
I promptly signed my name, turned in the painting, and a week later got my grade.
The b*tch gave me a "D-".
I went home crying and my mother told me that she never thought she would be so proud of her daughter who thinks outside the box even if it means bringing home a "D-".
My first year in college I had an art fair. That "D-" painting was the first one I sold! The customer said they loved the flow of the image. Ha! That's when I initially dedicated a shaking fist at old Ms. Beck.
Now, 16 years later, I'd like to upgrade that dedication to a complete and total middle finger.
I have just received a large order from the Walker Art Center (One of the nation's top 5 modern art museums) . They showcased my jewelry a couple months ago and it went so well that they would like to now sell my jewelry in their gift shop! Whoo hoo!
I am totally honored and thrilled that this esteemed museum likes my creations so much that they are willing to sell them to tourists who are looking to buy something to remember their trip to this fantastic museum.
I am so very proud of myself and come the second week in July (when my items will be available for purchase at the Walker Shop), I will bring my two kids in and show them their mom's work. I will then tell them that no matter what anyone (especially crazy art teachers) says about them in the future - they can do ANYTHING and be ANYONE they want to be.
Yep, this middle finger goes out to you Ms. Beck. You deserve it.
