FILM QUOTE: Some people can’t believe in themselves until someone else believes in them first.”
– Good Will Hunting
September 22, 2013
“Art is for art’s sake, who cares about what you like! You must create something that hits that magic cord inside the collective soul of the world!” shouted the art teacher as she looked at Gabriel’s painting, “What is this supposed to mean…it says nothing to me!”
Gabriel felt devastated. The picture she’d painted had been done with acrylics using a natural sponge to put the color onto a black back-ground.
“It’s just something I liked doing, I like the colors, I like the technique.” she replied in a low voice.
“Well you may like it, but it isn’t art.” the teacher said as she stompted away.
Larry looked at Gabriel and then he looked at the picture she’d done.
“You know Gabby, this is really beautiful to look at. It reminds me of a voyage through space and time. I like how the colors contrast here and here. And the black background pulls all the colors out so beautifully. Don’t worry about old Ms Greyheart, remember, if you can’t make art, teach it.” he winked at her. “Why don’t we go over to my place and you can show me how you did this…it’s fantastic! I want to see what Greyheart has to say when I do one!” Larry was Ms Greyheart’s pet student.
Gabriel and Larry got together that evening and they each worked on their paintings which they were to present the next day in class.
“Now,” said Larry “We’ll do an experiment. I’ll present your painting as mine and you present mine as yours. Let’s see what happens.”
In class the next morning Ms Greyheart gushed and nearly swooned over “Larry’s” painting but when she came to Gabriel’s work, she harrangued her once again for the poor effort she’d done. Gabriel nearly laughed in the teacher’s face.
“See…don’t worry about that old fart. You’ve go talent to sell!”
gnawing disbelief
unseeing her talents
except from his eyes
Written for Haibun Thought – Film Quote
Bastet and Sekhmet's Library 
It is unfortunate that some teachers are like that. I like the way you did it though. A great use of the film prompt.
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Yes, it does happen unfortunately, not often though I hope, thanks for your feedback.
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You’re welcome 🙂
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🙂
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aloha Bastet. way fun. way too close to reality in some schools of thought. bwahahahahaha. it is about understanding (imo) that we all have what it takes, yes. i like that too. aloha.
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yes, too real for comfort…sometimes we need that encouragement that helps us realize that we are more than we think we are…thanks for dropping by! Ciao and have a nice holiday!
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yes. and mostly i suspect that is what a teacher should be bringing out in a student. good point.
happy holidays on you as well. aloha.
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Yes…I suspect too that that is what a teacher should be bringing out ina student…but sometimes teacher’s have issues I guess.
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Georgia, I had that same teacher!! I’m sure of it! LOL What a wonderful story about friendship. A sideways jab at art and its subjectivity, too, which I think is spot on. Lovely insights. Peace, Brenda
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You know, I never realized until writing this haibun how often that sort of teacher pops up! And sometimes I do feel a littled jaded with the artist circle..like every time I tell one of them that photography and writing are art.
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Yes, and they nod but look dubious. Ah, well, we all have our little talents. 🙂
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Eh…yes… 😉
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That’s terrific. I had a very similar art teacher. You have done wonders to heal old wounds for many of us here. Thanks.
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Ah…pardon my french but she was a royal bitch…glad it helped others get over that sort of teacher. Most of mine were great to middling but I had two that really created some problems for me…one a history teacher (and I love history, always go As until he gave me my first and only F) and her…I finally transferred outof her class, which meant I had to miss art classes as she was the only offer in the store.
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Mine was male and there were two of them! Still sometimes find them talking in my head when I’m making art. It’s good to see the humour in it all.
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Time has a way of relativizing things doesn’t it. When I left her class, I had to take study hall…so I red (ex Poe’s The Masque of Red Death) and wrote poetry. In later years I changed school and had art classes with a totally different sort of teacher. But that woman stuck in my brain for quite awhile.
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Well done Georgia, excellent effort well written haibun and haiku.
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Thanks Micheal…
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it’s not like we aren’t hard enough on ourselves without people like Greyheart. Beautifully written haibun. I call my personal inner critic Mr Grey.
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🙂 … interesting that! Thanks for your comment I do so agree.
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