glenn howarth 1946 - 2009
At 3.30 this afternoon I picked up this email:
Passing of Glenn Howarth (1946-2009) - there's a celebration of his life happening Friday August 14th at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria at 5:30 PM.
For a long time I've wanted to take drawing or painting classes with Glenn again ... almost as long as I've wanted to return to living on southern Vancouver Island. I'm not sure how this message made its way to me as I haven't seen or had contact with Glenn in 25 years (oh, the awesome power of the interwebs!) but he was probably the finest teacher I ever had. My first 200-level drawing class with him was an eye-opener because his expressive use of language was so far over my head that I didn't have the slightest clue what he was talking about! The man was extremely articulate and erudite and, once accustomed to his teaching style, I was a total Glenn convert. As quoted in this article:
Former pupil and friend Alan Hopper said Howarth was an intuitive painter, but had "an incredible scientific optic perception and a language of his own, which I called Glennese. So eloquent, so deep. He took no prisoners, never compromised on his work."
He had more impact on my art-learnin' than any other teacher before or since and my drawing style changed dramatically that year.
While doing a little web sleuthing just now I discovered that Glenn had started a blog about a month before his death. This is a recent painting I lifted from it. He was a gifted artist but I'm pretty sure his value as a teacher/mentor/friend was of equal measure. Too bad there's a ferry in the way of me getting to Victoria by 5.30. RIP Glenn.
PS There's a wonderful tribute to Glenn here and I discovered Tom Gore's photo (below) here.
posted by andrea at 3:57 p.m.
6 Comments:
That's a beautiful painting of the trees over the water.
It is amazing how we get the messages we need to get, especially given all the rest of the stuff out there!
Lovely tribute you've done here - I'm sure he'd be proud of you and your work.
Well, my cyber respects to the man, too,if his influence led you to the work you now do.
It is amazing how we get the messages we need to get, especially given all the rest of the stuff out there!
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I read the article on his passing in the Times Colonist. He obviously had a great impact on his students. And, he was so damn young, too. Nice tribute.
A lovely tribute, in the Times article too. And yes, so young, but a nice, peaceful passing.
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