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bodily gestures and pantomiming the various incidents. As he tells the story, however, one becomes aware that the words are not his preferred medium. He projects his impressions most strongly through gesture and expression. One gets the feeling  that he would be more comfortable expressing himself pictorially.

The story also reveals the unique visual sensitivity at the core of the Rosenquist's artistic statement. His work is characterized by the same bizarre, seemingly disconnected imagery. Here is the frozen moment that multiple levels of reality as they are revealed in a fleeting passage of time. Here is the same strange and wonderful juxtaposition of elements that is so much a part of the visual phenomena of out time.

Rosenquist's response to this reality is poetic, almost mystical. His vision is a function of this individual reaction. The reaction, in turn, is the result of the million and one influences that went into the creation of James Rosenquist the man. Rosenquist's ability to project this inner vision onto his canvases is a function of skill and technique. The skill in, in turn, a result of the years of study and application that went into the development of James Rosenquist the artist.

He was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota. His father was an airplane mechanic, and the family moved a good deal within the same general region - the Dakotas and Minnesota. He grew up under the huge expanses of the Great Prairie. In its startling landscape, there was more than enough stimulation to rouse a natural visual sensitivity. As a boy, Rosenquist enjoyed sketching, drawing, and just looking at the world around him. 

When he enrolled at the University of Minnesota, Rosenquist had no clearly defined ambitions. His interest in art was vague and formless. It needed an outside impetus to come to fruition. This impetus was provided by Cameron Booth, an art teacher at the university. Rosenquist met Booth when he took his course during the first year at the university. Booth proved to be a sympathetic and influential teacher. He recognized Rosenquist's native ability and encouraged his efforts. The young artist studied with Booth for the next three years. 

It was during this third year that Booth suggested Rosenquist try for a competitive scholarship award to the Art Students League in

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