The Love of the Truth

One thing that caused me problems was something it took me years to recognize, identify and understand. Perhaps what it comes down to is the love of the truth. Once, when I was in art college we were discussing a student’s painting. The teacher was suggesting a certain modification to it, when the student whose painting it was protested that this particular thing was not really there in the real thing from which the painting was drawn. “Oh!” exclaimed the teacher. “You should never let the truth get in the way of a good picture!” You’ll hear that often in discussions regarding any of the various arts. To insist upon trying to make a picture as real and literal as a photograph taken on a given occasion can actually get in the way of your attempt to...