to the Rosenfeld Gallery Blog. This space will be used to post gallery news and to express my opinions about art related issues.
Background:
Here is a sketch of my professional history to give a context to my ideas. I am a reformed artist, I kicked the habit forty years ago when I became an art dealer. I had begun to think of myself as an artist when I was old enough to realize I was peculiar. My best subject all through public school was art and Van Gogh became my role model. I thought that we were both outsiders who were special because we felt more deeply than other people. This identification, this unconscious jujitsu that allowed me to feel gifted because of my social deficits got me through five years at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and two years at Prall Institute, resulting inan MFA degree.
Portrait of the artist, 1889
After teaching for two years I quit and went to Mexico to paint. A year of staring at an empty canvas every day tainted my delusions and I came to understand that I lacked a quality essential to all genuine artists: a passion to create.
Ever since I realized that I lacked the true creative drive I have been fascinated by the blessing (curse?) of creativity in others. For several decades I have been reading about the creative act in all fields and my position as art dealer has given me the privilege of interacting closely with dedicated, actively creative people of all sorts. I have been close witness to the creative development of hundreds of artists, some for as long as thirty-five years. Being afforded this close-up, intimate view has been immensely gratifying and uniquely informative. What an education it has been, discussing working habits, scources of creativity and changing imagry over a protracted lenght of time! I love my job.
er a protracted lenght of time! I love my job.