Week 1- A Candid Look with Gabriel Palma
Being 28 years of age and delving
into a full-time study of fine art, the prospect of having the “first day of
school” zeal was dim in regards to knowing the challenge that lay ahead. Once the thought pierced my mind, “Today
I’m going to meet some amazing people, I’m going to learn from some amazing
instructors, and I’m going to be diving into the craft that which I so love,” I
suddenly experienced what I have not experienced since...well, never actually;
a real excitement for what academically lies ahead.
While driving down Balboa Blvd,
listening to Tom Petty at 9:30 a.m. in the morning, hoping that I make it on
time to my first class, I began to flash forward in my mind about what type of
artist I would be when I finish my time at LAAFA. Will I do well at LAAFA? Will I like the people at LAAFA? Will I like the curriculum
at LAAFA? Will I like the smell at
LAAFA??
“Worry not about the troubles of
tomorrow, for sufficient are the troubles for today. Tomorrow will worry about itself,” is a quote from the gospel
of Matthew that I apparently am horrible at following, because I LOVE to worry.
If anxiety had a redheaded cousin, it would be me. I thankfully I arrived 15 minutes early for my first class,
which I, of course pat myself on the back for. If you knew me in high school, or college, or potentially
grade school...maybe also kindergarten, being early was never my thing. But upon walking into my art history
class, I sat down with a completely new sense of stoic identity, an identity
that was ready to be punctual and ready to work hard. The stoic energy I had was immediately directed to my peers
whom which were already in the room upon my arrival. Immediately, the sense of camaraderie amongst the core
students in my group was so prevalent. Rapport was built like the simplest of Lego sculptures,
warmness immediately fell upon the room like a well-furnaced cabin on a winter
night, the jokes and conversations flowed so naturally and I knew that I would
enjoy these fellows.
Art History was nothing short of
fascinating. Katherine Zoraster,
our instructor, had a tremendous-like ability about her that would engage the
most distant mind, or convince interest in the driest of subjects. Our discussion was thought-provoking in
the most unpredictable of ways. Asking
why do we create art is one thing, but when we have to attempt to place
ourselves in the artistic reasonings of cavedwellers’ minds in the Neolithic
period, opened completely new conversation topics that Zoraster so skillfully
facilitated that made for a three-hour class to seem like it was 20 minutes
long…in other words, it was fun (included in the fun-ness was a donation of
donuts by a student that made my year).
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| Figure Construction with Ron Lemen |
The following session was our Figure
Constructive class taught by Ron Lemen.
By this time, my 20th cup of coffee was leaving my blood
stream, the donuts were a sugary thing of the past, and I was more than ready
to get my hands on some drawing from the live model. I think by instinct, or by lack of practicality, I love to
make things as complicated as possible for myself. If you couldn’t tell I was being sarcastic, I was most
definitely being sarcastic and I am all about simplicity, especially when
drawing from a live model. The
most important thing you can do is hang your hat on the sturdy hook of
simplicity. Mr. Lemen was beyond
amazing in making things as simple as possible in the most constructively sound
way. To be honest I learned things
about drawing from the live model in Ron’s 4-hour class that took me all of
last year to only touch upon. I
honestly cannot wait to see how much I progress by sitting under his teaching.
I think the energy in the room
amongst all of the students was very high because upon completion of our first
day at LAAFA, we were getting an idea of how much each of us were going to grow
together as artists. The next
morning did not contain a Tom Petty soundtrack, nor did any upheaval of late
twenty career angst-y feelings arise. I was comfortable, I had my first day. I knew to some degree what to expect
when I waltz through the doors into LAAFA’s surprising décor of a 17th
French art atelier…in Van Nuys.
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| Bill Rodgers' Class |
I set up for my next class of Drawing
1B (wait doesn’t A come before B?! What’s going on over at that crazy school?!). Yes, I didn’t understand why drawing B
came before drawing A, nor do I know if the chicken came before the egg...nor
do I really care. The minute William
Rodgers came into the classroom I can’t state enough how much I love this guy’s
energy. He teaches art like a
1960s football coach ready to win the state champions. He is the first art teacher that I’m
pretty sure could wrestle a bear and win if he had to. All kidding aside, his skill is
exceptional, showing us some of his pieces that hang around the school, I
immediately had a deep respect for him. Our first project of the quarter consists of drawing from old
master drawings onto our 18”x24” drawing pad. I love how in my overzealous “let’s pick the hardest drawing
to copy from, because I am on a mission from God,” i.e. Blues Brothers
attitude, Will was all for it and gave me every bit of assurance I needed to
get moving in the right direction.
Even in the session to follow,
which was the perspective class, Mr. Jon Messer had the same type of zeal. Jokes and remedies flowed from this man
like the Nile River. At this
point, following Rodgers’ 5-hour drawing class, I was beat. Jon knew that. He knew we had all been drawing for the
better half of the day and his personality and love for art was like 10 trips
to the coffee machine. He engaged
us, so that we engaged the material.
How in the heck could perspective be fun? Two words...Jon Messer. Not only fun but I actually understand it! --a little
bitter from failing it in high school, no big deal, time heals all.
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| Rey Bustos' Class - Example of an Ecorche. |
Okay, Friday morning is here and I
get what I call the “Friday morning shakes.” Why do you have the shakes, Gabriel? Are you nervous about something big and
scary?? Well, put it this way, the
first name I heard upon arriving at LAAFA was “Rey Bustos.” As time went on, I kept hearing the
name “Rey Bustos” dropped on the regular.
I heard that this man was a man to be taken very seriously. A man beyond devoted to his craft, a
man who has a passion for his craft so much so that he arrives 2 hours early to
class, ready to preach the good word of anatomy. And lo and behold the legends were true. I arrived to class 20 minutes early and
it seems as if class has been in session for 2 hours already. I was a little intimidated to be
honest. I felt like I just waltzed
into a courtroom unprepared. Rey
immediately began the class with an introduction into his class that was
nothing short of inspiring.
Seriously, this guy LOVES what he does and BELIEVES in what does with no
exceptions. I was glued to every
word that was coming out of his mouth.
The class commenced and I can honestly say that I will come out of this
class a walking textbook under Rey’s tutelage and I could not be any more
excited to be challenged by him and his curriculum.
The final session of the week wrapped
up with the endearing, thought provoking, hilarious, just downright cool
brother from another mother, Noah Buchanan. I, like a genius, arrived 30 minutes late because I mistook
the start time, but Noah assumed with an understanding demeanor and proceeded
to teach. His humor is right on,
his methods even more right on.
Noah’s class is the perfect class to end our crazy week at LAAFA. He really is someone that you can
approach and not be afraid to ask the silliest of questions and have him answer
them with astute intellect that does not make you feel silly for asking a silly
question. I drew right alongside
him and learned so much by just watching him work. Still life’s are always a difficult challenge, many
theologians believe drawing an ellipse to be the devil itself...that may or may
not be a joke. Thankfully Noah
made it so understandably approachable with a solid proven method to ensure
success upon every little teacup my heart so wishes to draw.
Overall this first week at LAAFA
was so fruitful that I would be content leaving now in respect to how much I
have already learned. But it gets
better, because that was only week one!
I got 8,999,000 more weeks to go!!
My word, am I excited for this opportunity. Never have I felt more challenged, but yet so in the right
place in all of my days.
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