November 16, 2016

8.00 am: I caught up on the emails that had dribbled into my inbox since 1.00 am this morning, reflected, and then headed for the School to set up my materials in preparation for the morning’s lecture on colour theory and mixing:

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9.30 am: But before that, I’d four rerouted second year painting tutorials to deliver. The painters are now on the second leg of the module. At this point, they’re are entirely self directed … with all the implications of taking responsibility for determinacy, strategic thinking, methodological action, and an imaginative engagement. This second project is also important because it’s the first time that they ask themselves serious questions about not only what they’re interested in, in relation to art and life, but also who they are in relation to those interests. Contrary to the students’ expectations, they aren’t spoiled for choice. Those things that are truly meaningful to us are (or ought to be) few. And, those things aren’t always obvious; they play hide and seek.

11.30 am: ‘Colour: Make-Up. Matching and Mixing’:

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As one of our mature students astutely deduced — based upon her observations of the changing position of the Neutral zone on the the colour track mixes that I demonstrated — that the shape of the colour field is not circular. Indeed. It’s amoebic … like Mr Greedy of the Mr Men series.

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How we deal with underachievement is one of the surest tests of our maturity. It’s natural (an expression of our human frailty) to feel defensive or self-justifying in the face of criticism. But however painful the sting may be, it’s incumbent upon us to ask two questions: 1. Is the judgement true and just?; and 2. What good fruit will it yield if I respond to the criticism positively?

After lunch, I began finalising the text and PowerPoint for the paper. (I’ve yet to speak it aloud, and this troubles me.) A small cup of Ovaltine eases the passage. I’m always less confident about a work at its conclusion. Perhaps, this is because I realise that it cannot any longer be bettered in the time I’ve available. My goose is cooked, as it were.

5.15 pm: Evening falls:

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6.15 pm: Practise session 1. 7.15 pm: A feverish rummage for clothes, toiletries, medication, techno-stuff, notebooks, files, and folders in readiness for tomorrow’ afternoon departure. The script was polished, the slide indicators in the text checked, the slides on the PowerPoint checked, the script marked-up, and back-up for everything ensured:

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11.00 pm: Another ‘night watch’. On this occasion, testing the timing of the paper.

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