Kim Vawter is from Bellevue, Nebraska.

Biography

Note 7 Not just 'Artistic Inspiration'

When I was studying painting in college i recalled that as a Freshman art students, we were such Artistic Divas. We painted when we felt the 'artistic inspiration.' We were soon cut down to size by a crusty old art Professor (who, as i write this was the same age as I am now.) He told all of us that to study art you needed to practice painting every day and for us that meant 3 and 4 hour "lab" time every day. He told us that we had to practice painting if we were sick or if we were well. We needed to paint if we were happy or sad. Mood had nothing to do with it. Inspired or not we had to paint daily to be disciplined to be a good artist.
I sat upstairs on that hard bench with my drawing board and had to draw endless landscapes and still life pictures. i could only use what i saw outside the window or what I saw inside the studio. There were no flights of fancy or made up fantasy landscapes allow. Those were the rules.
i was permitted to use only charcoal to show tones and shades. Two years later i was given 4 colors, yellow ochre, black, white and burnt umber. Of those 4 colors I was to mix any color and shade that I needed to complete my composition. Once again we had to paint from nature. Our professor did not hand out compliments like candy. He scowled and grunted and allowed a a quick nod of his head and then he turned on his heel and walked away chewing on an unlit cigar. I wanted to shoot darts out of my eyeballs at him. He hardly ever told anyone that they were doing anything right.
I remember everything about him. He drove a 1950 Kaiser. He wore the same uniform white shirt and grey slacks everyday. He had a pencil thin grey mustache that never appeared to grow. He was very grey. I really hated his guts. His name was Vincent Campanella. He was the best teacher ever because he taught me to get over myself and to practice everyday.
I did, however get my degree. I painted and learned to focus on the task at hand. Now that I am learning this new art form I do practice everyday.
Today I have a cold, head ache, and would like to roll up in a blanket until spring. I couldn't connect two measures together. My bow went this way and my fingers landed on the wrong string. I walked away and got some coffee. I put a corned beef brisket into the oven and took another shot at it.
Better. I dropped the bow and danced my fingers on the strings first. Then I bowed the rhythm. I just put the two together and I got it. I turned on my heels and grunted. "Sounds ok." (I don't hand out compliments like candy either.)

Now I'm going to go practice.

Mary, I love this comment of yours:
>I had a teacher who told me only to practice on days that I eat.

That's hilarious!

(Some of my kids skip meals, so I tell them to practice everyday they breathe…)

Drew