Some friends and family have asked about the speech I gave to the Art Academy of Cincinnati's graduating class of 2016. They wanted to know what I said because they weren't able to attend, probably because I didn't invite anyone other than my mom. I was going to withhold the contents of this speech just as Hillary Clinton refuses to divulge the transcript of the speech she gave to Goldman Sachs, but I decided to put it on here. First I will share what my day was like leading up to that moment. If you're only interested to read the speech you may want to skip on down . . .
I woke up at five a.m. groggy. I had an overwhelming amount of things to accomplish before noon when I was supposed to leave for Cincinnati, but I was going to try to knock it all out anyway. I pried myself from bed and hit the gym to play basketball as I normally do on Fridays. I figured it would get the blood flowing, which it did, but I had not played in a month so I performed very poorly.
After basketball I went to lay out the instructions for my sub, which went pretty smoothly. Then I had to run some errands, the most important of which was a bill I had to pay. But first I had to pull money from the bank and buy a money order. The bank's system was down company wide, which was most inconvenient. I drove to three different locations and at one point on the circle I got completely rerouted. Finally I slayed that dragon and then I moved on to the CCIC.
This was a first Friday and my Model-T was included as a part of the Herron thesis exhibition in the same space that hosted the winter farmers' market. I did not get to attend the opening, but I wanted it to shine, so I put some finishing touches on the car and rushed to meet my mom. She graciously agreed to drive me since I have been having car trouble. I was late to meet her but would not have been if not for all the set backs.
We met at my apartment where I changed clothes quickly and then I bought us some coffee. But before hitting the road, I had to drop off another artwork to the Coalyard for another First Friday exhibit. My piece was not warmly received due to political content, despite the fact that the art coordinator had seen it already and she said I could install it. When I explained this to the owner, she reluctantly agreed to allow it, but I felt insulted and I decided not be a part of that showing.
I had more of my time wasted at the public library in Irvington where I tried to print off my speech. Some guy was printing a 100 page document at the same time and my speech was intermingled with his document. First I had to wait an additional 10-15 minutes for his job to finish printing and then we had to go through the stack one page at a time to find my speech.
I had more of my time wasted at the public library in Irvington where I tried to print off my speech. Some guy was printing a 100 page document at the same time and my speech was intermingled with his document. First I had to wait an additional 10-15 minutes for his job to finish printing and then we had to go through the stack one page at a time to find my speech.
All this rushing around made me feel nervous about giving the speech thinking what else could go wrong . . . More did go wrong. I was starving and in a terrible mood. I said, "Mom we gotta find something to eat." We naturally thought Jimmy John's because it's quick, but we got lost trying to find it. When we finally did, I was so hungry that I ate my whole sandwich with chips and also half of hers and then I went back through the line to buy a cookie.
We rolled into Cincinnati at about a quarter to four without running in to any more trouble. We pulled up out front of the school and I dashed in to pick up my cap and gown which was waiting for me at the front desk. We parked behind the school and began our walk to the Contemporary Art Center where everyone was assembling. As I was tearing open the packaging and throwing on my cap and gown (which did not fit me right) I started receiving texts from people asking where the hell I was at. Luckily I was just down the street.
As soon as I walked up out of breathe, Keith Benjamin immediately grabbed me and I was in a photo with him. Kim Krause explained what I needed to do on stage, and then I was told to jump to the front of the line as the first student behind the professors, because I was the only one graduating with a master's. We began our procession to the Renaissance Hotel a moment later lead by bag pipes. My mom followed off to the side. We were congratulated by strangers on the street filming and taking pictures as we walked by. It was surreal to suddenly go from such a hectic day in Indianapolis to a bag pipe procession in Cincinnati. The sun was beaming, roasting me inside of my black gown. I was so tired that I wanted to find a cardboard pallet on the street to curl up on and sleep for four days. I told myself to absorb this feeling and take a moment to be proud of what I've accomplished. Here's the speech . . .
First I would like to say thank you to my mom and all the parents and family here today. I would like to thank the Art Academy faculty and staff for this tremendous honor and for their hard work each and every day. I would also like to congratulate the graduating artists and my fellow graduating masters students of which there are none. And that means . . you guessed it . . I'm the de-facto valedictorian. Therefore it is my pleasure to say a few words to you today. Interesting side note, I also have the distinction of being the only valedictorian in history to barely maintain a 3.0 grade point average . . and you better believe I'm putting it on my resume. Which reminds me, a piece of advice . . Don't take yourselves too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourselves, because if you don't there's always plenty of people willing to do it for you.
Yes the arc of my career as an artist and teacher thus far, has certainly been strange and at times kind of funny. But strange is good. We're artists, we like strange. Back in my first year of undergrad at Herron in Indianapolis a strange thing happened that I would like to tell you about . . .
It was holiday break 2006, a few days before Christmas when my dad died of cancer. It took a few weeks to settle his affairs and arrange the funeral service, something that doesn't come with a manual for a 25 year old to read, or any person for that matter.
I had it mostly covered in time to begin a new semester of art school all while balancing a full time job waiting tables. But the hurt of losing my father hadn't yet set in; It didn't have time to. Here's the strange part. It was not the first day back to school but a couple in when the acting student council president approached me totally out of the blue and offered to have me assume her role since she was transferring to a different school. I am still clueless as to why she picked me. Growing up I was never that guy to take on a leadership role, but I decided why not and I accepted. Next thing you know, I was arranging guest artist speakers, field trips and special events. And I started making new friends. My service as class president was dynamic, interesting and fun. And the school acknowledged that I was making an impact. I knew I had found a home there and I knew I was making the right choices in life.
I went on to become a teacher and now I groom high schoolers to become tomorrow's artists. It's my dream job. I want to pinch myself sometimes I feel so lucky, but recently I realized it hasn't been luck. Sure I've caught some breaks and I've had some help along the way, but it's the deliberate choices I made and the humility to accept that I don't know it all that has lead me here today. It's been the dogged effort to help others, and to grow and get better that has transformed me into a know-nothing day dreamer, to a know-nothing day dreamer who's headed somewhere.
So listen to that voice inside your heads telling you to go for it and take the plunge. So the hell what if you're not good at it right away, that's all the more reason to do it. You learn the rules and then you invent them and then why not go ahead break your own rules . . . why? Because you're graduating into a world that doesn't know how bad it needs your creativity and your clarity of vision. Sure you'll get discouraged and wonder if you're doing the right thing every now and then. When that happens just say these words and repeat after me . . I'm an ARTIST . . I'M an artist . . I'M an ARTIST? and keep making. Thank you
Yes the arc of my career as an artist and teacher thus far, has certainly been strange and at times kind of funny. But strange is good. We're artists, we like strange. Back in my first year of undergrad at Herron in Indianapolis a strange thing happened that I would like to tell you about . . .
It was holiday break 2006, a few days before Christmas when my dad died of cancer. It took a few weeks to settle his affairs and arrange the funeral service, something that doesn't come with a manual for a 25 year old to read, or any person for that matter.
I had it mostly covered in time to begin a new semester of art school all while balancing a full time job waiting tables. But the hurt of losing my father hadn't yet set in; It didn't have time to. Here's the strange part. It was not the first day back to school but a couple in when the acting student council president approached me totally out of the blue and offered to have me assume her role since she was transferring to a different school. I am still clueless as to why she picked me. Growing up I was never that guy to take on a leadership role, but I decided why not and I accepted. Next thing you know, I was arranging guest artist speakers, field trips and special events. And I started making new friends. My service as class president was dynamic, interesting and fun. And the school acknowledged that I was making an impact. I knew I had found a home there and I knew I was making the right choices in life.
I went on to become a teacher and now I groom high schoolers to become tomorrow's artists. It's my dream job. I want to pinch myself sometimes I feel so lucky, but recently I realized it hasn't been luck. Sure I've caught some breaks and I've had some help along the way, but it's the deliberate choices I made and the humility to accept that I don't know it all that has lead me here today. It's been the dogged effort to help others, and to grow and get better that has transformed me into a know-nothing day dreamer, to a know-nothing day dreamer who's headed somewhere.
So listen to that voice inside your heads telling you to go for it and take the plunge. So the hell what if you're not good at it right away, that's all the more reason to do it. You learn the rules and then you invent them and then why not go ahead break your own rules . . . why? Because you're graduating into a world that doesn't know how bad it needs your creativity and your clarity of vision. Sure you'll get discouraged and wonder if you're doing the right thing every now and then. When that happens just say these words and repeat after me . . I'm an ARTIST . . I'M an artist . . I'M an ARTIST? and keep making. Thank you
They had a guy playing an African drum during the ceremony off to the side of the stage. I didn't really notice him until after I gave the speech when he started beating. I heard applause and drumming as I hurried back to my seat. I'm not comfortable in the lime light. The walk back to my seat was the strangest part for me. A little later I embarassed myself by not knowing where to go as they handed out the diplomas on stage. A lot of people probably saw me back into the girl behind me because I was confused. Oh well, if that was the worst part then I guess I did alright. Afterward, mom and I got a delicious beer at one of my favorite places in Over the Rhine and I took a well deserved nap on the ride home.
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