I have recently been talking with a Japanese friend who is a rising star in the Japanese Educational System. He is currently focused on the Canadian System of preparing students for transition to the workplace. I teach Visual Art to University Students, so these conversations are current and close to my heart.

I feel that I have a responsibility to do more, as a teacher, than simply preparing students to become Artists who can make work that will compare with the work of professional Artists who are successful in our contemporary world. The mission is not only to produce Artists who can make things that will sell in a Gallery. I hope that my students will see the true value of being an Artist. If I can engage their natural curiosity and help them get a feeling for the role art can play in society, then so much more can be achieved. I like to think that my students are prepared to be idealists who accept the challenge of making something that is significant and worthy of the space and time in which it exists.

The student of Art needs to be aware of the tradition of significant visual objects of the past. They need to know what is being considered significant now. And they need to be encouraged to make honest critical judgments.

I believe that the Art School is a very special place in the world. The interaction and contribution of all of the members should build spirit and energy, and it can be a meaningful source of inspiration for the community. This means that I must be responsive and open to the information provided by colleagues and students. We are in a very progressive occupation. We must continually strive to evolve the visual possibilities. The young student, the mature student and all manner of professors must endeavor to provide something which is a strong resultant product of our exchange. We are all bringing our perceptions together. The students are current tentacles which reach out into unimaginable corners of the world. At the very moment that I am trying to answer a student’s question, I need to be sensitive to the contribution that such a question represents in its role of keeping me informed about society.

I encourage students to consider all visual experiences as competition for their viewer’s attention. I expect them to build things which are up to the challenge. If they were to build a thing which is going to take up space on this planet, I ask, “ How do they expect their contribution to be of value?” There is much pressure in that challenge, and I encourage the students to approach their development like a student of Music. They must begin, and begin again. They must be encouraged to try ideas and styles. They should be encouraged to take risks and make mistakes. And they must develop the critical ability to tell that some creations are more significant than others.

Lastly, I feel that no Doctor should teach unless they are part of an active Medical Practice. And so it is with us Artists. Furthermore, my own experience has been that the more that I have going on in my own studio, the better I am with my students about their work. The discoveries that I have made about life through Art have made the largest influence on my life. I wish to be able to make more and to be there to help others make their own discoveries.

Sincerely, Royden Mills