The grandiose Art World no longer recognises anything beyond what the article will realise at auction. Art is for us all and can be seen to be believed.

We all need to produce Art in order to see what can be created, If you have the urge, when you look around, to make changes to your environment, then a sure fire way of doing that is to make a mark. When I make a mark, it usually ends up as a painting, or at least something that can be displayed for all the world to see. I can be an exhibitionist with my work and no one gives a wobble. Why is this possible? Because hardly anybody else cares to try. Unless it is produced we can not say that "My Johnny could have done better than that!".

Honest!

"I can't paint, and if I do it doesn't look right," resounds around many a group I've been in contact with. The fact that it doesn't look right is wrong, it exists and therefore is. Things must be created to provide a stepping stone to another level, a level that can carry you on to new heights of understanding of yourself and others.

Initially you are set on the Art course through encouragement through your parents and teachers. Jane is very good at Art, her portrait of Daddy shows how well she translates the feelings that father puts across". Not in the photographic sense, but with a feeling that is understood by the viewer. When the painting is finished, Jane no longer has a need of it. If it is displayed on the fridge door, it will encourage comments from visitors and influence the next piece from Jane. "Do one of Mummy, like the one you did of Daddy", will only stifle the approach for the next project. So allow the creativity in everyone to develop as best befits their feelings at the time, it will all come about with or without you.

So the password is "Do it, and never mind the codswallop, Johnny or Jane."

Les Rowe 1996