Drawing with crayons

Last autumn 2020 I studied illustration. During the self reflections we did, I remembered an art teacher I had a really long time ago. In the second year at the university program we had a project and a presentation as usual.

One guy in this class had not participated so much, but he attended the presentation. When he showed his work (during eight or ten weeks) it was drawings of faces. Just that, with crayon och paper. Traditional drawing. Since our teachers put a lot of emphasis on the students to break new ground, to elaborate and take risks, they got red in the faces from yelling him out in-front of the rest of us.

We were in chock. Did they get angry for the drawings? The chosen media? The traditional way of drawing? It was horrible. Some of us tried to lift the good stuff and ask the guy questions. But he was broken down for sure. We tried to talk him up afterwards, but he left and did not return again. So sad and terrible.

We could analyse this for ever, I have really many things to say about the teachers, but the thing that strikes me now is how my mind has made the connection CRAYON = BAD or SIMPLE ART. And that's totally nonsens. And probably not even the thing the teachers was so mad about.

But I have incorporated this situation so deep inside (just being a by-stander / co student) that looking at crayons made me feel sick to my guts ever since. Imagine that!

This is not a grand matter, but maybe it is a matter of dignity to an illustrator.

So last autumn I tried to pick some crayons up and draw, the sickness came over me and then also the memory of that incident almost 20 years ago. And I'm used to analyse my feelings and thoughts - but there you go! The mind works in intriguing ways.

Now let's enjoy this moment and draw with the crayons until they're set on fire!