Pointe of Art

The Next Generation - 6/04
by Robert Maniscalco

I am often asked for advice from parents who want to develop their child's full creative potential. True, it is now a widely accepted fact that the arts demand a child to use his/her whole brain, leading to a more well rounded, tolerant adult. A child with little or no exposure to the formal study in disciplines such as the visual arts, writing, music or dance are being cheated of their full potential.

Occasionally, I'm approached by parents of children interested in a more serious commitment, a burning desire to be a professional artist. What advice can I give them? My answer usually begins with advising them about building a foundation of basic fundamentals and ends with suggesting they find themselves a mentor.

I am a product of a successful apprenticeship with my father, Joseph Maniscalco. I was lucky to have a father who is a master painter as well as a patient teacher and generous colleague. To celebrate that particular mentorship, the Maniscalco Gallery is presenting "Father and Son: A Retrospective Portrait Exhibition," beginning with a June 25th Gala Opening. This will be the first time father and son have exhibited side by side; the exhibit will span a combined 75 years of past work.

One of the most gratifying aspects of running an art gallery has been the opportunity for me to mentor emerging artists as they have evolved into mature professional artists. Naturally, if he is so inclined, I look forward to working along side my son, as he develops his creativity (He'll probably end up a professional baseball player!).

Finding one's own voice as an artist is a journey toward authenticity with quite a few worthwhile stops along the way. So, my advice to someone starting out is to find a master whose work you respect, that feels like a fit; then make them an offer they cannot refuse. Offer to do their dirty work, stretch their canvases, clean their studio, reorganize their files, balance their checkbook - whatever. Some experienced professionals offer career coaching and critiquing as a fee-based service. Our culture needs to wake up and recognize that experienced artists are professionals; their time is valuable.

Many experienced artists present intensive workshops or classes where students can get individual attention and nurturing. In exchange for these fees and/or services you can study with them, observe their process, pick their brains, take the thing they do - that you admire - and make it your own. When it's time, move onto the next master who has a technique, an approach, a way that you want to incorporate into what you want to do.
Find a coach. One of the greatest coaches of all time, Vince Lombardi, once defined coaching as "getting someone to do what they don't want to do in order to do what they've always wanted to do."

Apprenticeships and mentorships can take many forms. Organizations such as the Wayne County Council for Arts, History and Humanities or The Heidleberg Project, who work with the community, offering mentorship programs, pairing masters with promising students at little or no cost. Classes and workshops are available right here in our community - see below for some suggestions.

Of course, one has to be able to recognize a mentorship opportunity when it presents itself and be a little aggressive in making it happen. A wonderful example of a unique mentorship is the story of Grosse Pointe artist Jac Purdon and my wife, Amanda Maniscalco. Jac is a master of conceptual art and a longtime friend. A few years ago, when he lost his wife, Carol, Amanda and I naturally wanted to spend time with him and somehow help him - and us - get through the devastating loss of this extraordinary woman. Around this time Amanda was experimenting with the materials of her trade, custom framing. She began carving mats into forms and asked Jac for advice on what to do with them. A great, collaborative relationship was born and her conceptual work blossomed and has become quite sought after. The process also helped Jac in his healing process. Mentorships are a one great example of how the creative process can be a powerful healing force.

Another great mentorship that started at College for Creative Study, between celebrated abstract artist, Gilda Snowden and Jocelyn Rainey, developed into an example of the life-transforming power of art; Jocelyn, who's life had taken a tragic turn, discovered her inner vision with Gilda's loving guidance and is now considered among Detroit's top artists in her own right.

All great careers are built on the heels of masters who have come before. I suggest that young artists not be in a hurry to strike out on their own to quickly - because that's probably what will happen. I can't tell you how often a kid has walked into my gallery, paintings tucked under each arm, staring straight at the floor, boasting of how they've never taken an art lesson in their lives and how "original" their work is as a result. Let me say in all fairness, there is a considerable niche for what is called "outsider art" - art that comes from outside academia, otherwise known as primitive art. I have known and exhibited a number of outsider artists. In fact, the Zeitgeist Gallery in Detroit specializes in this particular genre. There are a few outsider geniuses who's work is truly unique and extraordinary, but for the most part they are the rare exception. Think about it like this: if you really want to be a surgeon you might do well to find out everything there is to know about the human body. In a way, it's a confidence game. If you can truly convince me (and yourself) that you are a great artist WITH YOUR ART then you are an artist. We all arrive at that level of confidence in different ways: some with academic art degrees, some by taking workshops and studying with masters, some (very few) by waking up in the morning and just deciding to paint (then again, we all have to start somewhere).

Interestingly, I have found that the term "academic" (which used to refer to those who studied the fundamentals of drawing from casts, then from life, who studied painting technique and design, who mastered the materials and pursued a course laid out by the great artists and teachers of classical realism) is now considered outsider art. Today, "academia" refers to those who have received an advanced degree from an accredited institution where they have learned how to throw caution to the wind and paint just like De Kooning or Pollock in order to "find their voice" as an artist. Fortunately, this trend is beginning to reverse itself, and our academic institutions are finding a middle ground that equips young artists with the fundamentals AND encourages them to develop their own voices.

All art is derived from artists who have come before, to some extent. From this one might be tempted to suggest, both cynically and tritely, that there is nothing new under the sun. While this may be true, I like to believe that originality is not a contrivance but rather the result of study, experience and perseverance. It is a journey into the self, which embraces the cosmic consciousness of those who've gone before us combined with our own unique life force. Some people are born into this knowledge while for others, it is a lifelong journey, which includes intense introspection and an eagerness to grow and learn. My father said it best, "I'd put my money on the artist with a little less talent who works hard, before the lazy one with all the talent in the world." Of course, my father also used to sing, "never, never be an artist, if you want roast beef called prime!" Somewhere in the middle, is the potential for each of us to be a fully expressed human being.

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