Dear Art Graduate,
It seems like so much time has passed since we first met you at your degree show. But it’s actually only two weeks. You have to thank your uncle for our being there because after finishing his usual weekly training session with us, he invited us to come to see your show. He sang your praises, telling us how talented an artist you are and of his confidence that you will go far in your career. He was keen for us to see your work because he thought we would love your style. We weren’t disappointed.
We chuckle whenever we recall the look of embarrassment on your face when we told you your work was astonishing. You went bright red. It was good seeing your little cousin at the show; she was so funny, calling you Cherry Blossom as you tried to hide your face. Usually when we see her it’s as a client; rarely is it in a social situation. She’s very bright; one of our best students. Never moans, never grumbles, unlike some of the kids of her age group. We love the way she just gets on with each monotonous exercise without a word of complaint.
The popularity of EnvironMENTAL Training™ means that of late, we have had to deal with a number of pampered and overprotected kids, whose parents tremble whenever a new game or exercise is introduced to their little darlings. If there isn’t concern about whether a certain mental exercise will induce an epileptic fit, trigger a migraine attack, cause sleepless nights or raise anxiety levels due to being deemed too challenging, their parents are worried that little Sally-Ann or Bartholomew will be miserable if they’re not constantly praised and rewarded for every achievement, no matter how trivial or insignificant – even if it’s simply reciting forwards and backwards the first nine letters of the English alphabet.
We’re actually writing to thank you for last week’s email not to bore you with stories about overanxious parents concerned about the consequences of not dealing with their child’s attention deficiency, yet fearful of any negative effect that may occur due to the prolonged practice of reading upside down, copying two different poems by alternating between the left and right hand or mentally adding ten rows of six digit numbers.
We promised to reply within three days not seven, so apologies for the delay; we can’t expect you to accept an explanation of mitigating circumstances – lawyer’s spiel – as a valid reason. So we shan’t take up more of your time by talking about the Taiwanese banker who feels – wrongly – that he’s making little progress with his mental training and ought to be putting in longer hours. As if fourteen hours a week (six during the week, eight on weekends) isn’t sufficient! One wonders how he’d be feeling if he was like the bright student who has recently stopped training with us because he can’t cope with the monotony of EnvironMENTAL Training™ exercises – it’s as if he didn’t read or heed our warning before enrolling. Not only that, this bright student is abandoning his dream to study Medicine at Cambridge and is also getting rid of his 19th Century violin. No more practice: no more Bartok, Bruch or Schumann. Is it a waste of all the money spent on crammers to get him up to scratch for Oxbridge, not forgetting our fees and what his grandparents spent on hours of private violin lessons? His parents obviously think so because they’re refusing to speak to him till he comes to his senses. Such is life.
Thank you for you sending your brother’s beautiful photographs of your degree show. It may be seven days since you wrote, but we’ve been going through them ever since. He’s an amazing photographer: his sharp eyes captured the evening so well. No doubt your super display has long been dismantled; hopefully you managed to secure a nice home for everything. It isn’t right that hours of sweat, toil and perhaps tears should be left for the college caretaker to treat as rubbish. If you haven’t been able to find a home, we think we know someone who’ll be happy to take your artwork into their home. They’ll pay a good price; you won’t be out of pocket or shortchanged.
We trust you have kept focussed, upbeat and positive. You will need to be in order to attract the correct environment in which to grow and prosper. Sometimes the weeks and months following a degree show fail to live up to expectations and graduates slip into despondency. Remaining focussed, upbeat and positive is not easy when one has recently graduated with an MA degree, irrespective of whether one was awarded a Pass, Merit or Distinction. Confidence is easily sapped or eroded if the expected job offers or positions fail to materialise as early as expected or desired. Whatever happens as you plan your career, it’s important to keep all your dreams before you at all times because it’s easy to become distracted in the pursuit of a steady job. Paying bills is important, but losing sight of what you love doing won’t make you happy.
Unless, you happen to meet someone in your chosen profession who happens to be enlightened or is seeking talent to nurture, you could easily find yourself in a job where you’re not exactly doing what you want to do. We can’t emphasise enough the importance of patience and perseverance, and how you must never permit your dreams to fade away or allow doubt to find a secure place in your mind. Doubt’s knock may be loud and incessant, but you don’t have to open the door and usher it in. To do so is destructive, but it’s a common practice we’ve observed amongst graduates fresh out of university. That’s why so many end up working in careers they hate, having discarded their earlier love of art and being creative.
We have a slightly unconventional approach which may not be in keeping with current ideas or thinking on how graduates should get themselves noticed or attract paid work. We do not subscribe to the belief that it’s whom you know that gets you ahead, or that only those with wealthy parents become successful; neither do we buy into the gender or race discrimination issues that many claim hinder progress. These problems exist, but a focussed mind will take its owner to the highest point if the focus is there, or it will guide its owner to the lowest depths if such demoralising thoughts – no matter how true – are taken on board or habitually entertained.
You have limitless talent, seeking to express itself in the world. There is nothing preventing you from achieving all your dreams, as long as you’re prepared to be patient, work well, maintain your vision and have unshakeable faith not only in yourself but also in your abilities.
You will remember how we repeatedly mentioned the importance of exercising patience and maintaining your vision. Experience has shown us that impatience has led many artists to quit when things were going against them; it has also shown us that a vision that isn’t maintained soon fades from the mind.
You spoke of your plan to spend some of your prize money on books and asked us to recommend titles; since that’s an excellent idea to us, we have curated, forgive the pun, a small selection of works we consider absolute requirements for your library that will be referenced for years to come. We’ve also included a couple of Taschen links. You will find that once you fall in love with Taschen, you won’t look at anyone else; it’s love for a lifetime.
The Complete Book of Colour – Suzy Chazzari
Complete Costume History – Auguste Racinet
The World of Ornament – David Batterham
Taschen fashion catalogue
Taschen design
We have a full diary for the next few weeks, but shall be in touch again. We’re conscious of the fact that we haven’t answered your question about whether it’s correct to look down your nose at social media. We shan’t promise, but hopefully we’ll be able to find time to send you our thoughts. In the meantime look after yourself and start forging your career as a successful artist. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if there’s any help or advice you want. We promise not to keep you waiting more than a day, perhaps two at the most.
All the best.
Yours sincerely,
Chuka Okonkwo & Dubem Okonkwo (The Tw↑ns)
Env↑ronMENTAL Training Agents
thetwinsenvironmentaltraining 