life, art & everything

Browsing in Waterstone's recently, I discovered a book on the works of local artist, Ray Hedger. Ray taught me Life Drawing for three terms at the local college and I learned a great deal about observation, anatomy, and art. I understand he was recently disqualified from teaching in schools and colleges because he didn't have all the right teaching certificates, presumably because he's an artist who teaches rather than an art teacher. It's absurd and a real shame. Having had more teachers than I can possibly list, most of whom probably held all the necessary papers, I can say with enough authority that certificates do not make teachers, and I can't understand how a retrograde ruling disqualifying experienced teachers makes any sense. It concerns me that these rules are being set by the myriad of politicians who have little or no experience of the world outside of politics.

Enough of politicians. I copied these following words from the back of Ray's book - I hope they're his though it doesn't actually say - enjoy,

"Life between birth and death is too short for running. One must experience every step, spending time in seeing, hearing, and absorbing. Each hour and each day is unique and should become richer as we get older, through a better understanding of values and a more philosophical outlook. The past is part of the present and part of the future, but one should always be present. The richness of each day depends on our attention to it. To be quiet, gentle, attentive, and to hold to one's path and unique gift of life are ways towards a life that is whole. The meaning of life is in the living. The purpose of art is to compensate for the mortality of the flesh and sustain the immortality of the spirit. The light inside illuminating the darkness outside."