Guest post by Sig
Throughout this semester, I continue to learn about things I know absolutely nothing about. I’m not sure how to feel about this. I guess I’m happy to be learning something, yet sad 
because I’m 46 years old and still don’t know shit!
Much like Ian, I enjoy the act of looking at art, trying to interpret what the artist is saying. I appreciate the fact that Ian exposed us to all of the classic artists even though he “works” in the modern period. There are so many greats, so varied in style, I felt a brief inspiration to pick up a pencil myself and see what comes out.
As a guitar player, I know how to create rhythm and atmosphere in a song. As I was looking at Caravaggio, I could feel the darkness in the self portrait as Bacchus in the same way I feel the darkness in a minor chord on my guitar. It’s a little spooky to me.
I have seen Picasso’s stuff before and have always wondered what kind of drugs he was on to see objects this way. Ian made me remember something I read somewhere about an alleged confession by Picasso before he died where he claimed he hated the weird stuff he was painting (equating it with a kindergartner’s etchings) but he knew that’s what the idiots en masse wanted, so he prostituted himself just to make money. Imagine that – someone compromising for money.
I respect and admire Ian for knowing his limitations (he’s not an artist himself) but still found a way to make art his life while doing a job he obviously loves. That’s a successful man, in my view. Keep up the good work, and thanks for coming.
