Drawn to Jesus: The Journey of a Jewish Artist by David Rothstein

Author:David Rothstein [Rothstein, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Jews for Jesus.
ISBN: 9781881022046
Google: LAPtA2nXDw8C
Publisher: Jews for Jesus
Published: 2000-07-14T22:00:00+00:00

I began to realize that there was more than one “school of thought” at Art Center, so that while one teacher might think I was doing great, another might not. It was very confusing and distressing. I didn’t have the emotional, moral or spiritual strength to just go my own way regardless of what anyone thought. Deep down, I feared that I was really a mediocre artist.

Another thing that galled me was that other students whom I considered more talented than I had not received scholarships. I assumed that they must feel as I did.

I felt torn in several directions; I no longer knew where I was going, or what I was doing artistically. Everything that had been going so well when I started school was falling apart. Whereas previously I was gratified that I could get in to see the illustration department chairman without an appointment, I now avoided him so that he would not suspect how terribly I was struggling. In fact, I began avoiding most of the teachers who had encouraged me. I was uptight and anxious all the time. My hopes were being dashed to pieces. Life didn’t make sense. I had achieved success, and as a result I was miserable. I felt incapacitated as far as my artwork was concerned, and knew I needed help.

One event from this time is worth mentioning. The school hosted regular poster competitions (like the National Symphony Tour competition previously mentioned). One of my classes worked on entries for a company called the California Music Theater, which would be performing musicals at the Pasadena Playhouse. The winning entry would hang on the playhouse for the entire opening season.

Unlike my previous poster, this one was conceived and birthed through much pain and suffering. I seemed unable even to come up with an adequate concept. While most of my classmates were well on their way to completing their pieces, I was struggling to come up with a thumbnail sketch that would meet with my teacher’s approval. Finally, with about a week and a half, maybe two weeks left (from an eight week project), I came up with an idea that was acceptable to him. The actual execution of the piece was at least as agonizing. I hated every minute of it. I stayed up all night to finish it on time. The following day, Friday, I brought my hated poster into the room, facing toward me so no one would see it. I saw the department chairman, and skirted around to avoid him. I put my poster down as quickly as I could, and made my escape.

I had done my poster with acrylic on illustration board. It was supposed to be a fanciful depiction of the Pasadena Playhouse with the roof blowing off and a spray of musical notes blasting into the sky (see back cover). The best part about it was the explosion of musical notes, which I carefully rendered in yellows, reds and purples. Still, I was not happy with the piece and felt it was nowhere near the quality of my previous poster.

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