Onward!

What I've gained from my university experience:
I feel very ready to start my life as an artist. I think people come to public universities to figure out their direction in life and I'm really grateful to have already known mine. (thus, university... not for me) I think I've known what i want/need to do with my life for a long time, how much I paid attention to it or recognized it before I couldn't say. To sum up my direction would be to say that I need practice and to cultivate different aspects of being an artist to the best of my ability in order to get imagery from my head to something physical, visual, tangible . This is what I have to offer the world and for my life to be fulfilling I have to do my very best and become the best artist i can. sounds obvious and hoakie, but i feel motivated as a result, so what evs. I've become very anxious to return to Encinitas with ideas of art projects, shows, and museums. And as it is not the defining reason to return home it is a plus. . . The enormous amount of money I'll save! That I can then spend to actually forward my art education sooo much more! it wouldn't make sense to anyone who hasn't experienced it for themselves.
That's been a little hard. . . People really don't understand how an art education needs to work (for my goals at least). Everyone (who doesn't know me well) assumes I'm lost and doomed to starvation, homelessness, and drugs (starving artist lifstyle? lol. jokes) oh well, what they think is the least of my worries. I just need to stay focused and motivated to do well. I'm really looking forward to good classes. As I have only had one good studio art class so far, I have been called to consider what makes a good class. Here are some ideas I had about what does and doesn't make for a successful teacher/class.

• Having reason to respect the teacher is always good.
• respect can be dependent upon good model etiquette. closed doors, windows, teacher supervision, maintains comfortable temperture, pays model well, no implied tipping. Things you think would be universal for a figure drawing class. But know all of these were in fact neglected or done poorly in one of my other figure drawing classes here at SB. Models, if you want to know who to hunt down, just email me or something sometime I would be more than happy to contribute to that creepy ol' guy getting what he deserves.
  
• Art students. . . also avoid that guy. He would often not even show up to class (3 hour coffee break). Cliche advice of the day, no personalized advice. Teachers work displayed little knowledge about the subject. Referred to ancient greek pottery for ideal example of perspective. lawl!. . . you know the forward facing body and profile feet. . . Claimed works by Henry Yan and Steven Asseal to be "unsophisticated". I dropped that class. . .
• Teacher should be up to date with directions, movements, and trends in art. Not stuck in Dadaism sitting around for the next big "ism" to stamp "property of UCSB" on to.
  
• Teacher should be as open minded/supportive of students personal goals as possible. *cough* instead of shoving obsolete perspectives down their throats.
• Instead of expecting your students to know when to ask for help, when they're screwing up help them!!! that is if you know how? Odds are the student doesn't know they're screwing up or they wouldn't be making the technical mistake in the first place. (in some cases, not all)
• Don't be an ass. . . Instead of approaching a personal critique with "Explain this shit!" (direct quote) maybe ask with a less arrogant and disabling intro.
• Teachers should do their best to not attempt living vicariously through their students. In other words, avoid mini me syndrome.

I'll add more in the future but that's what I have for right now.