THE EVOLUTION OF AN ARTIST'S LIFE AND WORK BEING A PERSONAL AND REFLECTIVE JOURNAL by Harry Andrew Stanbridge B.Ed., The University of British Columbia, 1974 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS i n THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS IN EDUCATION We accept t h i s thesis as conforming to the required standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA A p r i l 1982 (c) Harry Andrew Stanbridge, 1982 In presenting t h i s thesis i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l m e n t of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of B r i t i s h Columbia, I agree that the Library s h a l l make i t f r e e l y available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of t h i s thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. I t i s understood that copying or publication of t h i s thesis for f i n a n c i a l gain s h a l l not be allowed without my written permission. Harry Andrew Stanbridge Department of Visual and Performing Arts in Education The University of B r i t i s h Columbia 1956 Main Mall Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Y3 Date April 16, 1982 DE-6 (3/81) ABSTRACT This personal and r e f l e c t i v e journal concerns i t s e l f with the evolution of an a r t i s t ' s l i f e and work s p e c i f i c a l l y as i t relates to those forces that determine the indi v i d u a l ' s philosophic perspective, as well as shape the form and content of his art. Three d i s t i n c t yet related aspects of the a r t i s t ' s l i f e were analyzed by using s l i d e s of the a r t i s t ' s paintings that were produced i n the relevant periods. Ch r i s t i a n conversion and i t s subsequent e f f e c t on the a r t i s t ' s l i f e and philosophy were the f i r s t consideration. An analysis i s done of the work leading to the conversion showing the e f f e c t on the a r t i s t of i n f l u e n t i a l l o c a l and international a r t i s t s . As well, the role of l i t e r a r y ideas as a stimulus for v i s u a l expression i s touched upon. The nature of form and content, as i t manifests i t s e l f i n the paintings done during the conversion period and afterward, i s examined i n an attempt to show a resolution of s t y l e i n the a r t i s t ' s work. The second area of r e f l e c t i v e inquiry was the r o l e of the a r t i s t as a teacher of art at the secondary l e v e l . Teaching and working i n d i f f e r e n t mediums i n the classroom s i t u a t i o n were looked at to see what influence, i f any, they had on the a r t i s t ' s attitude to form and content i n his own work. The general demands of teaching, apart from the d i s c i p l i n e of art, are considered as they relate to the pressures of time and th e i r importance i n the production of the a r t i s t ' s work. The t h i r d area relates to the f i r s t as i t p a r a l l e l s and evolves out of the philosophic perceptions of the a r t i s t and t h e i r relationships to his public. Throughout the journal and i n the analysis of the s l i d e s , close attention i s paid to s t y l e , that i s , the form the content takes and whether or not the a r t i s t ' s intent has been r e a l i z e d , i n making his art v i s u a l l y accessible. The text i s an exegetical account of the s l i d e s and i t i s recommended that i t be read i n conjunction with the projected s l i d e images of the author's work. i v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES V Chapter I. INTRODUCTION 1 Growing Up Formative Years at Art School Mentors A Dark Foreshadowing Post Art School II . THE CONVERSION 20 The Search for Meaning A Purge Airbrush Drawings I I I . CHANGES 32 Bread, Thorns, Rocks A Short Tangent A Change of Place Synthesis by Serendipity IV. THE ARTIST IN SCHOOL 4 5 Surviving the System Great Expectations Temptations V. RECLAMATION 56 VI. CONCLUSIONS 62 ENDNOTES 7 0 BIBLIOGRAPHY 7 2 APPENDIX A. LIST OF SLIDES, IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE IN THE TEXT, WITH SIZE, MEDIUM AND DATE 7 4 (\ioVc: "TWe-=>e -slide.*, o~