Watts Atelier Boot Camp 2016 - Part 2
"Enter the dragon ride..."
BY ANTHONY ROSS
I arrived in San Diego two days early before starting the Boot Camp at 10:00 am on Monday. They have one of the most dangerous airports in the world, I was told on the plane ride there. It has a very short run way that's difficult to land and take off from. The planes come in to land in the center of downtown, being as high as a two story building near the end of their descent. As I shuttled to my hotel, I saw just how close they were. Nearly as low as a lamp post. The whole city is built around this airport.
It was really nice arriving this early, because it gave me enough time to see some of San Diego and get settled before the course began. As you'll see, the Boot Camp aspect of the course was prevalent, and it was a lot of drawing and painting every day, without room for much else. Of course, that's not a complaint. By the end of these two days before the course started, I was very inspired to start working with my newsprint paper. More on that later.
On arrival, I did the ordinary things such as get groceries for the week and find the school. When I walked over to the school, a 5-10 minute walk away, they were starting a class, waiting for the teachers to show up. At this time, I saw Erik and Meadow teaching drawing and painting, both on each side of the Watts Atelier, which is divided like this.
On arrival, I did the ordinary things such as get groceries for the week and find the school. When I walked over to the school, a 5-10 minute walk away, they were starting a class, waiting for the teachers to show up. At this time, I saw Erik and Meadow teaching drawing and painting, both on each side of the Watts Atelier, which is divided like this.
Easels on one side of the room in a semi circle facing the stage.
Drawing benches on the other side in the same fashion. Each divided by a short wall that you can walk around to get from one side to the other. The school was smaller than I imagined, but didn't need to be any bigger than it was. They used to have another room that you'd access by going out the back of the building, but it was never in much use when they had it anyway.
On the walls were many framed images, which they would circulate out every few months for new ones. Most of the pictures were pieces done by artists who got to a really high level of proficiency at the school. Others were by masters of the craft that Jeff had often met personally. I took pictures of all of these for study reference in the first couple days before the Boot camp. Here are a few. Many more of the same caliber can be seen on the Watts Atelier Tumblr site.
Drawing benches on the other side in the same fashion. Each divided by a short wall that you can walk around to get from one side to the other. The school was smaller than I imagined, but didn't need to be any bigger than it was. They used to have another room that you'd access by going out the back of the building, but it was never in much use when they had it anyway.
On the walls were many framed images, which they would circulate out every few months for new ones. Most of the pictures were pieces done by artists who got to a really high level of proficiency at the school. Others were by masters of the craft that Jeff had often met personally. I took pictures of all of these for study reference in the first couple days before the Boot camp. Here are a few. Many more of the same caliber can be seen on the Watts Atelier Tumblr site.
I met some of the artists doing the Summer term and some who have been studying there for even longer. It was nice to connect with them and a change to be around people studying in the same fashion as I had been with the online course. We went to a movie, restaurant, to get ice cream and walked around the town of Encinitas, talking mostly about art. Some of them took the Boot Camp with me, but most didn't.
The next day I rented a bike and used it well, going to a local Farmers' Market. Later, I would find out that I biked passed Jeff's personal studio on the way there. I also biked to the next town over and visited the gardens of the Self Realization Fellowship, seen below.
The following day I returned the bike and took a bus to Lego Land. Not having checked out the prices before arriving, I was a little surprised, but payed the $95.00 to visit one of two attractions like this in the world. Ultimately, I think Lego Land could do a lot better. Lego is an interactive toy, and there was very little interactivity. Some recommendations would be to incorporate what the rides offer into the walk around areas. Enter the dragon ride, and you'll see dark caves with goblins and moving dragon Lego heads. Why not have that same design in an area where you can get more out of seeing it and not pass by it in a few seconds? The sections with large cities and replicas of real life buildings are well done, but lack the charm that kids would bring if they could play with it. It reminds me the Lego Movie and how Will Ferrell had DO NOT TOUCH signs everywhere. The art itself was cool in certain respects, but also could use a touch of diversity in the way it's put together and how it's presented.
Ultimately, there is more to be said here, but I was disappointed. There wasn't even a professional Lego builder building something for people to watch. It was a large money grab, and mainly for parents to bring their kids, though not made for the kids real interactive soul-enriching play. After leaving Lego Land, I had a clear understanding of what my trip was for and why I had come all the way here to the Watts Atelier. The mastery of representational art, as Watts teaches, is not a quick fix. It is not some high stimulus novelty. Learning this craft of drawing and painting is work of character, building patience and perseverance as well as earned and substantial rewards, instead of fleeting and less developed ones. Lego Land was a pointer back to the fun stuff that reaches the depths of what life is all about, back to my newsprint paper and charcoal pencils.
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