Influence and Ambition
Yesterday I had quite a shock. I wanted to locate Brian Joiner, a fellow student at the Cleveland Institute of Art. I found that he had passed away from liver cancer in October 2011. I know this because I searched Bing and I found a number of columns and blogs about his passing.
I had not seen him or spoken to him since graduation almost 20 years ago. However, I knew that he was in Cincinnati and prospering as an artist because other students spoke of him and it radiated back to me some how. I knew that Oprah was a collector of his paintings because of articles about him.
I still considered him a friend even though we were separated by time and distance. I took pleasure in reading the news about him when I could. I am bothered that I did not seek him out and tell him what an impact he had on me as an artist and student.
I wanted to seek him out this time because I have recently become interested in the academic style of painting and drawing. I remembered that Brian paintings approached this style of mastering modeling, tone and figure drawing in the classical tradition. The image of his many bottle paintings stayed with me all of these years. I wanted to find him and thank him for his influence.
I hope that I have influenced others like Brian. I hope that there will be enough people writing about my impact that it will encourage others. The funny thing is that we never know whom we touch in our journey. I want to have balance enough pursue my goals and let those that I encounter know that they matter to me because compassion can become viral.Brian Joiners Creative Life
