I’ve been slowly leaning about the History of Art for a few years now, and have long been an admirer of Kandinsky, but I had never heard of Klee, in general spending most of my time studying 19th century art. Thanks for making me aware of him, following reading your article I have been enjoying very much his unusual shapes, warm colours, and composition in general. He seems to create a magical kind of asymmetrical symmetry, unbalanced yet balanced, chaotic yet calm. Beautiful works.

It’s interesting, as I have recently been a “student” of an “improv teacher” of allegedly great re-knowned (by her estimate). I am an enthusiastic practitioner of authentic expression of self and wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.

The truth of a person – any teacher – is found in what they do, not what they say.

What I began to notice, over several weeks, was that she chose only ONE student to demonstrate to the rest of us what she meant. Then I met another student of hers in class who had been a student for three years.

This student lacked any confidence whatsoever – every exercise I noticed she was glancing at the teacher, rather than trusting herself to her co-student with whom she was working. Then I noticed another student, allegedly a “teacher of psychodrama of over thirty years” whose self-expression was muted and without authentic passion.

Then I noticed the “teacher” begin to “give corrections” over and over and over again about what “improv” was. She’d say, “NO, I WANT PRIMAL.”

Well, what the hell is YOUR version of primal. Show me. Because, right now, I AM BEING PRIMAL within myself. Not YOUR definition of it.

What I finally realized was that she wasn’t about authentic expression at all – but, rather, about creating little versions of herself for ego satisfaction.

Her first name happens to be Ruth and I realized that what she was all about was creating lots of “Baby Ruths,” not actually freeing others to authentic expression of themselves.

Just came to this realization last night and I have to say, sitting down and reading your piece about Paul Klee really allowed me to sigh a huge sigh of relief in leaving her “tutelage” (Picasso). I am a Klee kind of woman and so glad for that . . .

So inspired to go on into my studio and shut the door . . .

Our “job” here is to inspire each other to ourselves. NOT suck the life out of others for our own ego needs and attachments.

thanks

Thanks for your writing.