You know there are some things we just never forget, take for example great teachers. I had three grandmothers who were all teachers, no not the classroom, educator type that worked in a school, but the kind of teachers you learned life lessons from in the kitchen, around the dining room table, the garden or during quite time together.
Virgie Hoover, my maternal great-grandmother was a foodie before her time who taught me how to bake love in the shape of a pie. The kind of cook who made the best homemade potato salad, slaw, chess pies, and fried apple fritters. My mouth waters now just thinking about her scrumptious creations. Ernestine Seitz, her daughter (my grandmother) was a teacher of many life-lessons, like-hard work pays off, need a job, think self-employment entrepreneurship options first. She could make a grandson feel like a king just the way she loved me, unconditionally. And then there was Pauline Gibson, dad’s mom, who taught me how to draw, color, can foods, make pickles, cook and appreciate country music. She was a rock star in her own band in my book. I loved all my grandmothers and grandfathers for that matter. I’m always dumbfounded when I hear friends say, “I never knew my grandparents,” because until the age of 13, I’d always have six: two paternal, two maternal and two great-grandparents. They were ALL awesome teachers. I learned so very much from each of them and am a better man today because they took the time to teach me so many life lessons that have positively affected my life.
Then there were other teachers, you know them, the ones who were strict and made you tow the line. On many occasions these teachers we learned the most from. They taught subjects that either came easy, we couldn’t get enough of or just made the hardest subjects sound interesting. For me that would have been my art teachers, those creative geniuses who impacted me in a life changing way. Joy Haynes was one of those women, at the Eastgate Shopping Center paint store where mom shuttled me to art classes. There were many instructors at the Evansville Museum of Art and Red Spot Paint Store who taught me color mixing, composition, techniques of painting and the list goes on. At North Middle School, Mr. Hale was a highlight and at HCHS David Ettensohn and Neel Whitledge, whom I will be forever indebted, taught and encouraged me to explore artful mediums, from batik to tie dyeing, pointalism to pastels, and paper mache to print making. Four years of art with these two angels sufficiently prepared me for a university art/design major.
The fall of 1977-78 I attended our local community college (HCC) and experienced great professors like Ronnie Butler and Kathy Hughes. Then, the following fall I sat out a year from advancing my education and worked in our family’s business while I studied art schools across the nation. During the final campus visits, the University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning (DAAP) was selected as the next institution on my educational journey. I was accepted into the six year, architecture program but before classes started that fall, I had changed my major to business, lest I be retirement age when I graduate. The years and business classes continued, 300 level classes like organizational behavior, statistics, micro and macro economics, accounting and marketing and I found myself in my junior year with an opportunity to finally choose an elective. Oddly or not odd at all, I chose a drawing class with Professor Martin Tucker in the School of Art within DAAP. I can still remember Professor Tucker asking me, “Greg, why aren’t you enrolled in this college or in some art or design cirriculem. My response, “It’s a long story Marty but the short of it is, I didn’t want to go to school forever.” His reply, maybe you should rethink that option, did just that. So what did I do, but turn to a classmate, Mike Smith from Chicago to ask, Mike, what’s your major? “Industrial design” (ID) was his reply, you know Greg the designers who style automobiles, create toys and design furniture.” So the next day I enrolled into the 5-year ID program, now I really was going to be a dinosaur or the age of Methuselah when I graduate.
Fast forward a couple of years and professors like Gil Born, Jerry Merchaud and John Stork, all great teachers and designers whom I learned design principles, model making and illustration techniques from also taught me how to be a successful designer.
Teachers provide us with the tools we need to problem solve, be critical thinkers and impact our environment.
Often I’ve entertained the idea of teaching a university level class titled, the business of design, in other words how to prosper in the business world with a professional creative degree. Having first been a business major then a design student, I often experienced fellow classmates who were super designers yet somehow lacked the important nack for turning that talent into a profitable venture. Teachers are right at the top of important occupations that are under recognized.
In a way we’re all teachers of students whether they’re graduating from big wheels to training wheels and or from board rooms to retirement. Teachers span a lifetime and come in all different shapes, colors, ages, and areas of expertise. How often do we pause, take a deep long breath and be a teacher/mentor for those things we love and call hobbies or passions? Or to ask another way, when was the last time we shared one of our God-given gifts/talents with another human being?
Not too many years ago, Nibby and I joined Neal and Lori (brother & sister-in-law) at their house boat on the lake. Some take a camera or smart phone when they travel, away to document their trip, I take my sketch pad, pens and pencils. A couple of mornings during the vacation, I found myself on the upper deck of the vessel sketching the lakeside flora and fauna. Before I knew it Kally (niece) and her friend had joined me and we were all drawing. Minutes turned into hours and hours created drawings with campers, camp sites and the scenes from the beautiful tranquil lake. Other sketches included feet in flip flops, boat gauges and sunsets. We passed some time together, had great conversations, the young students learned some lessons in one vs two point perspectives and how to create interesting compositions. The teacher in this case learned that young minds could be occupied and productive while creating beautiful art. It was a great day on the lake with pens and pads in our laps for both teacher and students.
So what subjects are you teaching others with your actions, both consciously and subconsciously both in and out of the classroom of life? We all are saying something when we let the lady with the two children in front of us in the checkout line or listen rather than talk during a phone conversation? What message are you sending to your friends, neighbors and strangers with that last Facebook post or google search? What’s important to you? What do you value most in life? Where do you spend your time, talents and treasures? To whom are you passing your wealth of knowledge?
I’ve had more than one person say Greg, I didn’t know you drew. How long have you been creating art? My response, all my life, ever since I was old enough to hold a crayon and sit in my grandmother’s lap. Teacher’s have taught me techniques and how to be proficient by practicing those art lessons over and again. They have also taught me students can become teachers. I may not be teaching a college or graduate level class yet but I am interested in working with young artist who show signs of an interest or gift in art, who have been identified as gifted and talented in the visual arts, whether recognized by their school, self or parent-labeled.
For every new work of commissioned art, I’m donating an hour of time with a young student- drawing together with them, sharing what I’ve learned over my 50 years of sketching, painting, designing and creating. It’s the least I can do to honor all the great teachers, mentors and artists whom I learned from. So if you’re thinking about commissioning an original Greg A Gibson art piece, have in mind a young artist who you would like to gift an hour lesson. You may just be giving a future Picasso, Rembrandt or Van Gough a foundational art gift. It might be the best investment in art you every make.
They say art mimics real life but I like to think an art lesson can change a life.
Some people we just never forget. Grandmothers and art teachers are two, true professions at the top of my list, both definitely changed my life for the better.
To find out more about art lessons for loved ones or commissioned works of art send me an email greg@greggibsondesign.com
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