Today is the day im finally tired of negativity toward my style of art. I have read numerous times the eligant responses of about the "Why not just take a picture?" "remedy". Sadly this has come to me in various forms. I have had new friends, family members, random acquaintances, and now NEW to the list Teachers propose this to me. And now it has become so cumbersome to reflect on my style as legitimate.

It never occured to me that my style is deplorable. That it is just a step to something bigger and better. And for you nay sayers, it isnt. This is where I want to be in this world. Presenting realism with a flair of twists, turns, layers of NOW very symbolic metals and meanings. I want to present portraiture, in all its flaws and beauties, to the world through my eyes; in my way. Some might appreciate, others instantly turn away; Neither is my concern. Mine is to make the art that makes me feel complete, relieved after its done. Nothing exceeds that.

Now I only got to this stage because a string of teachers at a college I recently attended decided to try every verbal moral breaker to convince me my art was invalid, out of date. That using graphite (more precisely mechanical pencils) to achieve the precision was in effect, "the worst way to achieve my goal." Supposedly I have been doing this for years and they were the ones to point it out to me.

I notice that as my art gets better, my grades get lower. I stick my style, try different mediums yet the trend continues. Until my final project comes. A metamorphosis project. It requires me to do a triptych in my style in 2 weeks. A challenge for any realist artist. Im up for it, and I accomplish it. I get praise from fellow students, friends, and family. Yet my teacher decides to drudge up a, "Goodluck finding work, noone in todays art world will buy this class."

He almost succeeded with truly bringing me down until peer review in which the triptych got an A and I passed the class with flying .. hues of grey...

Seems the minority of haters still exists out there and I will forever spend my time shooting them down. Im glad im finally getting to a point where my work sells here and there, I found my style, I adore some of the greats in the past and present who viewed art the same way I do. And all I have to do is find a team of artists who are as serious as me and get to work changing the world.

Thanks for reading and viewing any of my pieces.

Allen H. ------- Gangres