Mitchell Siporin, Visiting Artist Lecture 1956

Mitchell Siporin gives a lecture at Skowhegan talking about his painting practice and sharing his experience as an artist throughout his career. Siporin touches on many historical movements throughout art, explaining to the students the importance for them to always study their art history. Siporin also mentions many painters who have influenced his thinking, and tells the participants to trust their intuition as artists. When artists engage in this deep feeling of building trust with themselves, they will be able to arrive at the feeling of knowing what they want to do, and how the directions they want their work to head for in the future. This type of trust will also only come with making a commit to be an artist for the long haul and to be patient with themselves. With time artists will understand what it is htat they want to say. Sipron also says that it is important for artists to try to be in America, because it will help them find freedom and to also have their work entered into the various museums across the country.