LAST EDITED ON 07-Dec-00 AT 11:06 PM (PST)

Hi Gary! Now we really confused each other! I do see and celebrate the fine craft approach. It will benefit many causes - educational, popularization of fresco, a constant remainder on the broad level that the art of fresco did not pass away together with the great masters of the past. I was just putting a few words for not having much of a visual reference to the great masters on this site, mainly due to the luck of time and support. Got defensive so to speak.

I know how to paint a fresco and not too much about how to communicate with the art establishment and business people. I was serious when saying that I consider my English confusing and maybe you can help me with those letters I mentioned.

Your input into the fresco enthusiasm, its revival and this forum is tremendous. I will be the first one to praise and celebrate it! I also have to greet you for the courage to speak clearly about the art from the practical point of view. An ability that not many of us posses and even less of us do exercise.
Talking big words, as most us do, is one thing - following those words is the other. With your enthusiasm and persistence - You do show people the way of how to do it!

We should get easels and go to the parks, I am not just saying this, but speaking from the experience. I spent 5 years with the easel on the streets of Moscow with my teacher V. Ovchinnicov. I was his apprentice. I was studying watercolour and selling the "produced" right where it was painted and as it was painted. The proceeds enabled me to support the studio and the group of artists around me who were too "clever to get their hands dirty with practicality", and with the "invention" of the Perestroika organized exhibitions and published two catalogs. What a sore thumb i mast have been for the establishment. They refused to give me the visa to go to Art Academy in Helsinki (Finland) unless I join the official Russian Art Union. Did I join the "Union"? Fat chance - I opened two art galleries instead.

We got too far off the subject - "white cement" - can you give the ratio? I was fascinated with the simplicity of your "board making" - the one with just the mesh (i can not visualize the fiberglass yet - imagination of the painter, sometimes limited). I am thinking of employing it for my workshops - if you do not mind?

Gary lets move the "philosophy" to the "History of the Buon Fresco"? We have there topic "The history of Western Art might have to be rewritten...". It is about the newly discovered fresco by Cavallini that challenges Giotto's position of being the father of Western Art. That should be a good place for a little "sword fight". What do you think?