Childhood Of The Art Historian, parts 440 - 443

Richard Britell

440. I will quote from Jackson's biography just so you see what I am talking about, look, here it is on the screen of my ipod, see for yourself; 'While living in Echo Park, California, he enrolled at Los Angeles  Manual Arts High School, from which he was expelled, after having been expelled from another high school in 1928.

441. Most likely back then he was developing the real skills that would lead to his eventual success, heavy drinking and reckless driving. And at the same time he was working on those skills, his class-mates who wanted to be artists would have been drooling over the Post Covers of Norman Rockwell, and trying to imitate his drawing style.

442. Because by studying the drawing skills of Norman Rockwell back in the 1940's they would have the skills, and be in a position to do magazine covers when they grew up. And when they grew up those magazines were no where to be found.

443. That is the reason my art teacher was wrong to tell me I couldn't be an artist if I couldn't draw, but I must not have been an artist anyway because if I was I would have never listened to her.