My First Week at Watt's Atelier

As of this previous Saturday, I finished my first week at Watt’s Atelier in Encinitas, CA. 

A lot of my friends and family know that one, if not the only, reason I recently relocated this past July to San Diego, CA was to attend this school. To tell you I knew this school would be what I have found it is, before I moved, would be a lie. I came here on a notion, an idea, and the belief that what I saw and heard about this school would be at least half-way true.

I am here to say, within a week, to all those claims I have seen evidence to support them, and more. My doubts are laid aside, and I firmly assert that I have come to the right place for the growth I’ve been chasing. I won’t bore you with the play by play how classes went, but rather I want to instill a sense of the experiences I have felt this past week.

The first thing I noticed in this school is the atmosphere, the sense about the students and teachers; the attitude. Everyone I met is humble, ego less, and concerned more with daily progress with themselves than any other competition. There are exceptions among new-comers who haven’t aligned with the school yet, but even they immediately come to an understanding about the self, it seems, within the first term. There is a calm here, but with an underlying pulse of extreme, earnest energy the likes of which I have never felt.

The second thing I noticed, or experienced was the direct, common sense, honesty provided by all the teachers and senior students. In class when we draw the teacher will come, trace your drawing, improving and instructing along the way. All the while discussing openly, without malice or spite where the errors occurred, and why. Regardless if you were being lazy, or you didn’t know. Slowly the idea of teacher and student disappears leaving a logical, honest, and direct dialogue between peers. All intentions are clear and evident here, we are all working to gain the knowledge and experience.

Lastly, and perhaps the most wonderful thing to behold, is the joy found in celebrating each other’s success. It is not something that is meant to promote one’s ego, but more genuinely an acknowledgement of triumph over a know hurdle. Some have conquered it prior and praise comes from knowing the sensation of finally getting it right. Others have yet to conquer it, know the struggle of not yet getting it, and praise comes from seeing the success and understanding they too will triumph.

All of these experiences came in tandem, simultaneous, and hit like a ton of bricks. Having done a couple years of art school in college prior, Spectrum/ Massive Black conferences, and living on art forums I have to tell you that this place is not like other places where artists gather. Everyone is one the same page here, working diligently in class and outside, honest, and superbly encouraging.

Despite the struggle of living in San Diego, I have never felt I made a better decision to come to this school.

Art dump below, for prosperity. :)