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My aim in teaching is to help students to see. In beginning classes I encourage students to be free and unafraid of materials and to work boldly whether they feel that way or not. At the same time I urge them to see beyond the surface of the subject/object, whether in life drawing, landscape or still life, to the organic composition of what is before them; how it fits together first as a whole, then in its parts. To me this avoids dealing with composition as a separate entity and rather assumes it as an integral part of the initial physical act of putting the first mark on paper/canvas, picking out the rhythms in the figure, landscape or still life.

The emphasis is always on 'seeing' what is before one in relationship to how one composes the object on the surface; the choice that determines what part of the subject, for instance, is used. To me this is the beginning of trained instinct and more reliable in the long run than a set series of steps of the 'how to' variety.

At higher levels, especially senior and graduate, I am very good at grasping what students are aiming for and helping them to achieve consistency within the framework of both individual vision and the demands of the painting. Underlying all criticism is emphasis on working accurately with the facts of the painting or drawing before attempting to express a personal direction, an element which is implicit in the work in any case.

Essentially I aim for the long run, a solid foundation in training the eye/hand unity which transcends mere accuracy but does not deny it as a starting point. I believe one of my greatest assets is dealing with students from a position of openness that is a probable result of Abstract Expressionist influence in my formative years.

Marcia Marcus
MARCIA MARCUS