Comments on: Interview with Walter Bartman http://artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html a multi-disciplinary dialog Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:17:11 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Alexandra Rado http://artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html/comment-page-1#comment-203484 Alexandra Rado Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:43:19 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html#comment-203484 Im another graduate of this very special art class (1984-1987) at Whitman and have many of the same feelings about Mr. Bartman described here. I truly wish I could go to a class at Glen Echo now and be in that creative space again. No other class has been quite the same, and I really miss it. many thanks, Alex Im another graduate of this very special art class (1984-1987) at Whitman and have many of the same feelings about Mr. Bartman described here. I truly wish I could go to a class at Glen Echo now and be in that creative space again. No other class has been quite the same, and I really miss it.

many thanks,
Alex

]]> By: Roma Sinai http://artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html/comment-page-1#comment-198522 Roma Sinai Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:44:19 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html#comment-198522 I'm delighted to have found my way to this interview... even though it is three years after the event. Reading the comments almost made me cry - the sear of recognition after all these years. It is precisely how I feel, felt, clearly will continue to feel - about The Most Magical Art Class in the World! I was in walt whitman 85-87 - the quiet indian girl, terribly out-of-place, except in C-109, where i felt more like myself than i had ever felt before, anywhere! I loved to paint but ended up studying graphic design. Have had my fill of it and am currently making the slow journey back to centre. I still carry around with me the feeling that painting is my calling, the place i must return to. Mr.B, after your talk of a guilt-complex, I'm thinking is this 'calling' or is it just GuiltC-109?! The thing i agree with most is the struggle most of us, your students, have had in recreating the magic of that time and place. The combination of youth, inclination, camaraderie and the guidance of a generous master - i am grateful for the experience and know that i must give back in some way - in order to complete the circle, if only in my own head :) So I have grabbed for myself a 'virtual' lesson from this interview. I've decided to demonstrate 'utmost belief in my personal ideas' - as counselled by you. Would appreciate being in touch with a virtual community, as i make my way forward (looking fondly backward) as an artist. With thanks and gratitude, Roma I’m delighted to have found my way to this interview… even though it is three years after the event. Reading the comments almost made me cry – the sear of recognition after all these years. It is precisely how I feel, felt, clearly will continue to feel – about The Most Magical Art Class in the World!

I was in walt whitman 85-87 – the quiet indian girl, terribly out-of-place, except in C-109, where i felt more like myself than i had ever felt before, anywhere! I loved to paint but ended up studying graphic design. Have had my fill of it and am currently making the slow journey back to centre. I still carry around with me the feeling that painting is my calling, the place i must return to. Mr.B, after your talk of a guilt-complex, I’m thinking is this ‘calling’ or is it just GuiltC-109?!

The thing i agree with most is the struggle most of us, your students, have had in recreating the magic of that time and place. The combination of youth, inclination, camaraderie and the guidance of a generous master – i am grateful for the experience and know that i must give back in some way – in order to complete the circle, if only in my own head :)

So I have grabbed for myself a ‘virtual’ lesson from this interview. I’ve decided to demonstrate ‘utmost belief in my personal ideas’ – as counselled by you. Would appreciate being in touch with a virtual community, as i make my way forward (looking fondly backward) as an artist.

With thanks and gratitude,
Roma

]]> By: Leni Paquet-Morante http://artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html/comment-page-1#comment-9778 Leni Paquet-Morante Tue, 27 Mar 2007 19:23:44 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html#comment-9778 Walt, Twenty-six years ago I left what had been the sigularly most important place in my life - your art studio at Whitman. Gladly, I have discovered equally important places in the ensuing years, but I often think about you and your influence fondly. As your student I was surrounded by many talented and ambitious teenagers, but while it took me many years to achieve what I felt was a successfull painting, your teaching methods early on led me to believe that the day would eventually come. Can you believe that as an artist now I still struggle with whether or not you would approve of my work?! Neither traditional in imagery or concept, it is nontheless influenced by your teaching. In fact, your "thumnail sketch" became the base for all my mature paintings and sculpture, which is made quickly, left rough, devoid of much color, and is small in scale. Glad to say that I have had commercial success with much of what I've made. I teach now and then too, though not professionally, but always start out with some version of my first lessons with you. So glad to have come across this site, and to hear about your continuing influence. Fondly, Leni Walt,

Twenty-six years ago I left what had been the sigularly most important place in my life – your art studio at Whitman. Gladly, I have discovered equally important places in the ensuing years, but I often think about you and your influence fondly.

As your student I was surrounded by many talented and ambitious teenagers, but while it took me many years to achieve what I felt was a successfull painting, your teaching methods early on led me to believe that the day would eventually come.

Can you believe that as an artist now I still struggle with whether or not you would approve of my work?! Neither traditional in imagery or concept, it is nontheless influenced by your teaching. In fact, your “thumnail sketch” became the base for all my mature paintings and sculpture, which is made quickly, left rough, devoid of much color, and is small in scale.

Glad to say that I have had commercial success with much of what I’ve made. I teach now and then too, though not professionally, but always start out with some version of my first lessons with you.

So glad to have come across this site, and to hear about your continuing influence.

Fondly,

Leni

]]> By: Birgit Zipser http://artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html/comment-page-1#comment-1911 Birgit Zipser Sun, 03 Dec 2006 18:59:33 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html#comment-1911 Hi Walt, I am happy about your advice that different methods complement one another. I introduced Karl to drawing 3-D when he was tiny. He was fond of drawing trains driving from the right to the left on his easel. One day, I added a street light in front of his train and Karl had a fit. “Mom, the light cuts through the train”. “No, Karl, the light is in front of the train.” Karl fought hard but then suddenly caught on. It was a special moment. From then on, we drew trains that started in the foreground and became smaller as they disappeared into the distance. Karl continued drawing while I became distracted with other activities. Never too late to change. Thank you for your offer to stay in touch. Hi Walt,

I am happy about your advice that different methods complement one another.

I introduced Karl to drawing 3-D when he was tiny. He was fond of drawing trains driving from the right to the left on his easel. One day, I added a street light in front of his train and Karl had a fit. “Mom, the light cuts through the train”. “No, Karl, the light is in front of the train.” Karl fought hard but then suddenly caught on. It was a special moment. From then on, we drew trains that started in the foreground and became smaller as they disappeared into the distance. Karl continued drawing while I became distracted with other activities.

Never too late to change. Thank you for your offer to stay in touch.

]]> By: Walt Bartman http://artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html/comment-page-1#comment-1890 Walt Bartman Sun, 03 Dec 2006 04:34:39 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html#comment-1890 Leslie, Why would I remember that day after all these years?...I remember that particuler painting and the blue and yellow canopy...It is iteresting how paintings etch themselves in our minds. You may not have valued it, but with my experience, I still remember it vividly and that is why I asked. Leslie, Why would I remember that day after all these years?…I remember that particuler painting and the blue and yellow canopy…It is iteresting how paintings etch themselves in our minds. You may not have valued it, but with my experience, I still remember it vividly and that is why I asked.

]]> By: Walt Bartman http://artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html/comment-page-1#comment-1889 Walt Bartman Sun, 03 Dec 2006 04:26:16 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html#comment-1889 Paul, I didn't explore the idea as much as I felt I could. I did find myself thinking about the concept often and visualing that there are many possiblities. I find it interesting, especially because rooms are angular. I feel the corner deepens the space of a painting and could work with photography as well. Paul, I didn’t explore the idea as much as I felt I could. I did find myself thinking about the concept often and visualing that there are many possiblities.

I find it interesting, especially because rooms are angular. I feel the corner deepens the space of a painting and could work with photography as well.

]]> By: Leslie http://artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html/comment-page-1#comment-1856 Leslie Sat, 02 Dec 2006 15:58:59 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/interview-with-walter-bartman.html#comment-1856 Walt, Yes, I do remember! In fact, I think about that painting often! I will have to search for it in my parents' attic. It was the summer between 8th and 9th grade. I had cut my toe in the lawn mower so couldn't go to tennis camp (thank god). SO my mom found your summer class and I sigend up, having no idea that I was getting into 4 hours a day five days a week in the hot humid summer sun! The painting was acrylic and had a kind of magical Rousseu feel to it (very naive, defined, almost cut out forms), with the Smithsonian castles and the brightly colored carousel at the bottom. What I remember is that my colors were really dull and you kept walking around to me (I was sitting on the gravel path) and said to intensify the colors in those reddish brown castles. And I had no fricking idea what you were talking about, because they just looked brown to me, but I dutifully kept re-mixing the color and laying it on. You must have come around 6 times over a period of a couple of days and still were not happy with the intensity. Finally you came over to my palette and mixed some cadmium red and burnt sienna and not much else and painted it on my painting. It took me aback because I was shy and had just started painting and was terribly intimidated by the whole process and didn't know you. You put some of that red down and then you mixed a bright blue and lay that on the sky area and said "see how those colors sing?" or soemthing like that. And it clicked. My memories are very vivid of those summers... very spotty but vivid... I recently gave a talk to some students at an exhibit of mine and I tried to tell them how powerful that summer landscape class was and explained "en plein air" to them. They were nonplussed. I consider those experiences to be where I learned to paint, where I learned about color and light in particular. What were you thinking about that painting? Walt,
Yes, I do remember! In fact, I think about that painting often! I will have to search for it in my parents’ attic. It was the summer between 8th and 9th grade. I had cut my toe in the lawn mower so couldn’t go to tennis camp (thank god). SO my mom found your summer class and I sigend up, having no idea that I was getting into 4 hours a day five days a week in the hot humid summer sun!

The painting was acrylic and had a kind of magical Rousseu feel to it (very naive, defined, almost cut out forms), with the Smithsonian castles and the brightly colored carousel at the bottom. What I remember is that my colors were really dull and you kept walking around to me (I was sitting on the gravel path) and said to intensify the colors in those reddish brown castles. And I had no fricking idea what you were talking about, because they just looked brown to me, but I dutifully kept re-mixing the color and laying it on. You must have come around 6 times over a period of a couple of days and still were not happy with the intensity. Finally you came over to my palette and mixed some cadmium red and burnt sienna and not much else and painted it on my painting. It took me aback because I was shy and had just started painting and was terribly intimidated by the whole process and didn’t know you. You put some of that red down and then you mixed a bright blue and lay that on the sky area and said “see how those colors sing?” or soemthing like that. And it clicked.

My memories are very vivid of those summers… very spotty but vivid… I recently gave a talk to some students at an exhibit of mine and I tried to tell them how powerful that summer landscape class was and explained “en plein air” to them. They were nonplussed. I consider those experiences to be where I learned to paint, where I learned about color and light in particular.

What were you thinking about that painting?

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