Replies to the Letters to the Editor

There are four letters to the editor in response to last weeks article about Watkins in this weeks issues of Nashville Scene. Here's all of them, and my replies to them. Feel free to challenge me on a case of double plagiarism.

Watkins defender

I generally expect a few guffaws from the Scene's art features, and was richly rewarded with the recent article "Trouble at Watkins" (Jan. 27). Dave Maddox (and company's) overheated and deeply prejudiced prose never fails to deliver.

At issue is not the popularity (or purported victimization) of one professor, but the whole direction of a school and, yes, its influence on the Nashville art community (which, according to Mr. Glispin, is "not as sophisticated or exciting as other cities, but is really a community." Gee, thanks).

This very community--capable of great sophistication--has endured several years of insufferably bad and boring art shows at Watkins (in contrast to the refreshing design shows), big on hyperbole and short on craft, vision, beauty or substance--outtakes from 1980s conceptual art magazines. Videos, process art, a gallery full of dirt (with accompanying six-page typed statement)...all trumpeted as being "cutting-edge." It all seems so conservative. And it is.

Having talked with a number of young graduates ill-served by such a situation, working in the shadows to actually mature as artists--I can only hope that Watkins will begin to embrace true diversity and inclusion. Who knows, inclusion might even involve love of craft, knowledge of art history beyond the last 30 years, and the encouragement to fearlessly and studiously embrace beauty and form.

The issue is not blasphemy, but lack of an academy.

Greg
[e-mail withdrawn]

The Fine Art department at Watkins does embrace diversity and inclusion. That's why I was able to draw so many cartoon characters and have it come off as Fine Art rather than illustration. That is also why my teachers are able to let me stay in the style that I draw because that is my style. Granted that it is derived from Japanese Anime, but it does have my touch in each drawing somewhere.

To be a good craftsmen is not a bad thing, mind you. There are several pieces I've done in the past that I wish I had more time and more skill to work up and improve on. However, just because you can create well to the point where the artist's hand is virtually absent from the piece doesn't make you a good artist for some people. Sometimes the conceptual is important as well.

Also, art is not and should not be an academic class. I don't know where people got this idea, but art is not about being fluent in dates and times and understanding principals such as line and contour that never chance. It helps, but it isn't the only thing about art that is important. To me, when this person says that art is lacking an academy, I feel that he means we need to go back to way high school art is taught. Name of the artists, dates, and period of art movement. And then vomit that information out on a test or produce a piece similar to the artist's style.

Terry once said in my class "Art from art is not art." I agree with him there.

One man's art is another man's trash

I find I must say something about the Scene's recent attempts at music and art criticism. Last week, we learned from David Maddox that Beethoven was the prophet of Secular Humanism ("Transcendent Humanity," Jan. 20). Anyone who has really listened to Beethoven's mystical exploration of the depths of the human spirit must know that his music ill suits the humanist brave new world of Dolly the Sheep. (Beethoven, by the way, died as a member of the Catholic Church, having received its last rites.)

This week, the Watkins College of Art and Design is censured for censoring its students' "provocative and challenging art." Singled out for special praise is Elvan Penny's photograph of a man masturbating. One wonders how this can be considered countercultural in today's society. Such work is neither innovative nor creative, but a slavish reflection of the values of contemporary culture. It would be more original in today's world to portray a man seeking a relationship with another human being, rather than romancing his own extremities. As Oscar Wilde insisted, life should imitate art, and not the other way around.

Thus, Watkins has every reason to object to the work in question, not so much on moral as on aesthetic grounds. And all creative people must reject the Scene's criteria for good art, which are strikingly similar to its criteria for classified advertising.

Scott
[e-mail withdrawn]

I, personally, don't see how original a piece of a man seeking a relationship with another human being is better--let alone counter cultural in today's society--than showing the truth about what a single man does nearly every week, if not more often, in his life. In fact, while it would be a refreshing change from the female characters in film looking for the perfect relationship, it still wouldn't be original in any way. It's the same story of trying to find someone that is perfect than you.

That isn't counter cultural. To me, that's idealization.

Let's face it. There are more single people out there than there are married or dating people. Marriage is falling apart with the high numbers of divorces going on out there. To fall in love and have it work out is a rarity onto itself. Why? Because unless you can work it out with your other half, you're going to piss the other person off one way or another. Love is a give and take. I've learned that the hard way.

The many sides of David Hinton

Regarding "Trouble at Watkins" (Jan. 27), I was at the 1994 film industry meeting at StagePost Productions when David Hinton quietly stepped up to the microphone and revealed a new film and arts vision for what was then called the Watkins Institute, a decades-old facility that quite frankly was then having little impact on greater Nashville. Many leaders from the film and visual arts communities rallied around Hinton's pivotal vision and transformed an aging institution to a fully accredited four-year college which now attracts students from across the continent and has had increasingly positive impact on the local arts communities.

The Scene article omits this genesis of the Watkins College of Art & Design, and depicts Hinton merely as an authoritarian employee, rather than the person whose initial vision was the catalyst for the very context that would even attract a teacher as talented as Terry Glispin or artists as groundbreaking as student Elvan Penny. A great teacher should never be lost, and freedom of expression without fear of censorship is the very bedrock of this country, but we should also never forget those who create and maintain the complex environments in which others can ultimately thrive. It's often a thankless job.

Andy
[e-mail withdrawn]

This is probably as neutral as the letters get, in my opinion.

What he should know is that back in 1994, The Watkins Institute was nothing but a film school for the most part. The Fine Arts department wasn't as strong back then. There is evidence of that in several of the old bumper stickers from some of the older students. The stickers say "Watkins Institute" above a movie camera and below the slogan "Film the dream!" or something like that.

Watkins right now is also primarily a film school. The film department takes up most of the building. Practically a fourth of it, if you want a better image. The enrollment rate was at 70% for film when I was enrolled two years ago and has probably jumped by some.

When you think Nashville, you don't think the arts or movies. You think country music.

Yes, I do agree that it is sad that Dr. Hinton's efforts to get the school off the ground was not mentioned. I can see why it wasn't mentioned, but at the same time, it is rather unfortunate. Had it been meantime, he wouldn't have come off as the jerk he is.

But then again, Michael Eisner did a lot of great things to the Walt Disney company, and now look at him.

Phew...someone still likes us

I just wanted to write and thank the Scene for the excellent article, "Trouble at Watkins." As a student and member of the Nashville art community, I have to say that I am extremely upset at the chance that we may lose Terry Glispin. He is an integral part of everything that has to do with art in Nashville, and we would be at a loss to see him go.

In the three years that I have attended, Watkins has really been a beautiful place, with Terry and the other great teachers being the main reason. In the end, the school should be concerned about the students and teachers most, because if we lose one good teacher at the drop of a hat, you have to wonder, who will be next?

Mike
[e-mail withdrawn]

Coupled with the letter before this, you can't help but ask yourself the same question. Which thankless teacher who has done so much for your child's educational growth will be next to get cut for one reason or another? What will that teacher be teaching? Why are they not going to be teaching it or in that department come next year? What will happen to your child once that person is out of their life forever? What will happen to their future, as well as the future of the teacher who was fired?

My math teacher was freaks out of college. While his age did help us relate better to him, his lack of experience made his job rather difficult. He was, however, a great person to talk to and was willing to work extra hours just so you can understand why x = 2.

My special education teacher (Yes, I was a Special Ed kid. Blame it on the social anxiety or whatever it is I have.) went back to school to get her doctrine in Child Psychology, which she was able to get after I graduated. She is now indispensable to the school because of her knowledge of the teenage brain and how it works with their emotions. If anything, she could be the resident teenage therapist that any student going to the school could visit to talk things out! And she knows what she is talking about too. (It also helps that she had a big intimidating African American by her side that helped you feel safe. Don't let him intimidate you, however. He's a big softy once you get to know him.)

I don't know what I would do or how I would react if either one of those great teachers were out of job. I claim that it was my art that helped me survive high school, when in reality, it was teachers like Todd and Jan. They were more than just teachers to me. They were my friends while I was trying to survive a very emotional four years of my education.

Teachers like that don't come along very often.