Field Trip Question Provokes Memory

TAC group visits my studio

The Teen Art Connect (TAC's) from the Contemporary Jewish Museum made a visit to my studio last week they could gain an understanding of what makes a working artist tick. They also visited a few of my neighbor's studios and received a good dose of the artist's perspective. The big question they asked us was "how long have you been an artist?"
To be asked this by these teens who are at the stage when they see their paths opening up, was timely.
When I was their age, I was committed to finding a way to make it in art. This brought me back to my very first art job when I worked for the Milan Bulovic Art Company of Chicago as an entry level artist. Among the tasks I performed were cutting and gluing pieces for long felt banners, cutting ruby lith with exacto knives for silk screens and racking silk screened posters for a company that produced display art for department stores like Carson Pierre Scott, Marshall Field, and big restaurants. It was an art heaven for me and a practical education in commercial art that served me well and continues to inspire me. It was my great fortune to have worked there for two years when I was in High School. Milan was a fascinating man who also practiced reading palms in his converted Police Station that still had the old jail cells in the basement! I loved going to work for I never knew what wonderful new project would be in the studio. And many years later, I also worked in the display department for Neiman Marcus where I did a set of Italianate Floors for their 1990 Christmas Windows.
When I googled this I found an interesting link to a particular Bulovic project 12 years after I worked there. Milan died young so his work and company faded away way too soon. But thanks to Philip Battle, I have another piece of the puzzle.

http://screever.org/2013/11/19/the-romance-reality-1977/