Gerry Fialka

Gerry Fialka came to speak at Oakland University this past Thursday. He is a great speaker; he relates well with his audience and he knows his stuff.

I find it very interesting how Fialka said that artists need to reinvent the great ideas of the past artists, not to copy them but to create something based off of an-others idea and make it new, creative, and inventive. This is how we can keep moving forward in the art world and in life in general.

Also I like how he said that us artists should take our weaknesses or what we were told was incorrect or not good enough and run with it. I think that can make ones work stronger and even unique to that artist in their practice. What someone calls a mistake or poorly done can turn into that persons strength and the basis for there work.

Fialka was very honest and right down into reality. One of my favorite things he said was that the real classroom is outside of the classroom. Walk through a city and there is art everywhere, and not just the actual art but the potential art too.

Gerry Fialka
www.laughtears.com