Dear M
You don't need to be as good as those painters. They show you what is possible. If they show you the sky, you can reach for it. That has to be better than always looking at the ground. All the great artists have been inspired by other art they've seen. Art evolves and informs other artists, changing their direction so that they work differently, stretching upwards and outwards. Most artists are never as good as the other art they witness, but that doesn't matter. The aim is to achieve your potential, to be the best you can be. Then you can forge your own path so that comparison to others isn't even the point. Occupy a unique part of the artistic spectrum. Just as it is subjective whether red is a better colour than blue, it is subjective whether van Gogh is better than Picasso. They were different painters, living different lives, being influenced by different sources. Therefore, their work is very different, but you can't say objectively that Picasso is better than van Gogh or vice versa.
I know your life will be incredible, and it will feed into your work. This trip was only the beginning of your travels, I'm sure. As you see more of the world and more art and life, your work will grow and develop, the same as you will.
You are a talented, beautiful person and I'm glad that our paths have crossed. But even if I felt the same as you did in the gallery, you know that as your teacher I could never follow through on those feelings.
D
YOU ARE READING
The Keeper
RomanceEvery schoolgirl has crushes, but could a schoolgirl crush last a lifetime? When 17-year old Martha starts at a new school, she carries a glimmer of hope that this time will be different. She doesn't seek popularity, but rather a quiet space where s...
