An answer to the 2004 San Francisco Art Institute MFA crew, regarding comparisons of CCA, and change…

“…the one who is busily occupied tracking down hypocrites, whether he succeeds or not, had better see to it that this is not also a hypocrisy, in as much as such discoveries are hardly the fruits of love.” -SK

First the rants are about the lack of art-related jobs (c’mon selling art supplies, and photos of orchids) and then have the gall to take issue with other schools by criticizing them for being commercial??!?! Perhaps it would be wise to get off the “I’m a tortured romantic artist, and can’t make money for fear my artist peers dare think I’m ‘commercial’ “kick.

I’m going out on a limb to say it… I want to be “HIP” and I want to get compensated for the work I produce. I want to have friends who are designers, competent in computers, can make 30 second commercials, music videos, oil painters and metal sculptors, and 3d animators…I have friends at CCA and at the Art Academy who are just as much fun to hang out with as you guys (and damned good at bar-b-cue)! Diversity is the spice of life…Plus they give a different perspective to shared experiences.

The fact of the matter is that art for it’s own sake, and art history (thank you invention of photography) is relatively new…We didn’t really have either before the 1800’s…

What does that mean you ask? Broadly speaking, MOST ART IS COMMERCIAL. MOST ART IS FUNCTIONAL. (yes even yours) Do we not judge our peers success by how many shows they have, if they were reviewed in magazines, or got fellowships from the government or dare I say it the NEA (sniff sniff)…Without patrons the Renaissance would not have happened, perspective, architecture, and anatomy as we know wouldn’t exist. The Sistine chapel wouldn’t exist…WE need grants, we need friends, and patrons, a supporting community.

I digress…

“But without willing it and without coveting it, the person whose love truly bears its own fruit will expose every hypocrite who comes near him, or at least shame such hypocrites; ” -SK

Haven’t we learned from attending SFAI that the definitions of “ART” is malleable? I got naked at school, Mark Morris wiped his ass and called it a Rorschach test…so aren’t clothes and furniture (Sarah Barsness’ pieces) art? What matters then if the materials don’t play a role if it’s art or not? CONTEXT? Is being physically IN the walls of the Diego Rivera gallery, or the “hallowed” halls of Fort Mason permission to call it “art” while if the same ideas are shown at say, 16th and Wisconsin (cca’s grad gallery) they are criticized? I’m not saying it’s good or not, I’m saying it EXISTS.

“The most mediocre defense against hypocrisy is sagacity; indeed it is hardly a defense, but rather a dangerous neighbor” -SK

When we get over the pretentious bullshit, about who went to school where and what media they use to express their creativity (whether they identify as a “designer” or “artist”), and realize that we all bleed the same color, one will realize that we have a lot in common…

Creativity and the desire to produce affect our direct environment is what is important. It comes down to respect. We can appreciate the efforts, (or sometimes lack thereof) in all fields (including arts administration). That doesn’t mean one must like it subjectively, just that it is there and deserves to be acknowledged.

“The best defense against hypocrisy is love; indeed, it is not only a defense but a chasmic abyss; in all eternity it has nothing to do with hypocrisy.” -SK

Addressing the other two issues the magazine and “Design and Technology”: Leonardo has an amazingly complex history and is an organization that supports artists and introduces them to a keenly scientific network of academics. They are intimately tied with MIT, CAA (whose conference many of you attended) and also give monetary awards, and publish artist statements in each issue. I encourage you all to check out their website , especially the “about us” section.

D&T (not to be confused with WMD) has existed for a long time under another name and is (from my understanding last year as a member of Artech and hanging out with the kids in it) is the smallest department in the school (even less than printmaking). There is instruction now in video editing (which we’ve had for a long time) max/msp (digital music etc. which Charles Boone and Matmos in the past have taken a large role)…According to the SFAI website the mission is to “challenge students to use the tools of design (we’ve all used Photoshop right??!?) to explore how design functions and why our designed world reflects the larger social transformations taking place today…” My question is this, is the hang-up just the name?

“This also is fruit by which love is known-it secures the loving one against falling into the snare of the hypocrite.” -SK

Quit complaining…

We were at SFAI at the *WORST* possible time…As an art school we were 9 MILLION dollars in debt, the board of Trustees, especially Lydia Titcomb and Charles Collins and MANY other bailed us out…Larry Thomas was supposed to retire, and took the helm as requested..Together they bailed us out through many sacrifices by teachers and the then current students (remember how crappy 3rd street was?!?!). By leveraging our one asset…800 Chestnut, and selling 701 (and they weren’t allowed to know who they sold it to till AFTER so don’t blame SFAI for the Art Academy’s purchase) and the generosity of many, we were able to keep the doors open…The former president allegedly KILLED herself because she was blamed for the situation…No one person was to blame for that , it was institution-wide ***FAILURE***…I’m so thankful that SFAI is growing and changing out of that dysfunctional state.

Where do you guys get off saying that change isn’t good. You act as though you’re high and mighty as alumni, when the fact of the matter is you haven’t supported the school…Give back some money or volunteer your time, and I guarantee that you will see more results. Not to mention the fact that you will feel better as a person supporting your Alma Matter.

You guys keep looking for the “Administration” to do something for you, bitching about websites, and alumni affairs…OF COURSE THEY HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY!!! Current students, the maintenance of the school, and the attainment of the best new faculty around, while paying off the bond incurred during our financial woes, seems like there’s more benefit there than catering to Alumni’s every whim…

There is no denying that alumni relations are very important, and instead of looking for what the school HASN’T done for you, try and put some of that energy into making the school a better place…if you don’t see something being done that you want, take it into your own hands, and then give it to the school already prepared…I’m pretty sure they’d be happy with all the help they can get…

Margarita has already done this..Clearly certain folks feel strongly that their voices need to be heard. Figure out how to do it constructively rather than moaning about change, because any changes are making it better than it was when we were in debt, with NO LEADERSHIP, and NO FUNDS. (insert your favorite slam about SFAI here)

Bryan, I’m pretty sure they didn’t fire someone because you wrote your letter and I commend you for caring enough to say something good about the experience you had with your teacher, I think you have a VERY valid point “If enough of us write, then at the very worst, our former teachers will know they did something that worked. At best, it may help make it so that future students get to study with they same excellent teachers we had the opportunity to learn from.” Let’s keep this in mind too though, that hiring new *tenure* track professors will prevent stagnant instruction, fickle adjunct faculty, and cronyism that results in husband and wife teachers who don’t have the qualifications to instruct in anything (which I know some of us experienced).

We should be thanking our lucky stars that SFAI remained open, to allow others the experience of attending one of the premiere art schools that BASES itself on progressive thought and multiple-viewpoints..

It only reflects negatively on you if you want to keep everything the same…Grow up, and let the new administration do their jobs. Judge after, not during the process. While things are changing offer support, dissent or whatever you feel, don’t just write them off. The Admins do have the best interest of the school in mind, even if that’s different than what you or I think the best interests of the school are…

Remember Terina…she spoke for all of us, and did so eloquently…”of the growing phase of SFAI” “Our complaints have leverage, and we believed in it (the vision of the school) and sometimes it looked like it was slipping away from us…being here in this strange and crazy place has changed our lives forever”. Yes we had it tough, and yes we *still* have it tough…and I know that we are lucky to have been together. I appreciate getting your emails, and this is a challenge to everyone on this list to advocate for change through positive volunteer time, money, and artwork.

Remember like Terina says…

“True art comes from somewhere just above your left shoulder…the midpoint between your heart and your brain.”

We have the power, and need to use it positively.

Does anyone want to set a deadline, gather 5 (72 dpi) images and 1 paragraph (.doc) bios of the alums on this list and prepare a CD to *GIVE* to the school so we can get this done all at once? I’m game…

Best wishes,
Pete Ippel

San Francisco sidewalk…

Zeke 05 FM on the 43 bus.

New haircut…

Look ma, sharks!

Air dry in mexico.