Learning to See

When riding a bicycle I practice an important survival technique - ride like you are invisible. Drivers can look right at you and not see you. Looking at something and seeing it are two different things.

The most valuable lesson I took from art school was learning to see. To get into the art program at California State University, Long Beach students were required to pass a portfolio review. I had been drawing since childhood so my portfolio consisted of a collection of what I thought were my best drawings. They got me into the program but it wasn't until a beginning drawing class that I realized I had been drawing without really seeing.

Male Nude Study, oil pastel, 9" X 8 1/2", 2014

The class was working from different still life setups around the room. I was dutifully drawing from one when the teacher sat down next to me with his drawing pad. I watched as he began a simple line drawing focusing on a small section of my setup. He was carefully observing shapes and angles and reproducing them on his paper. I had been doing a version of this but only an approximation. In that brief lesson a lightbulb came on for me that permanently changed the way I see things.

The teachers name was Orval Dillingham. I'm sure he is long gone. I never properly thanked him. Wish I had.