“You had to be there. You had to feel it,” said Everett Raymond Kinstler last Thursday at a Gallery Talks presentation for his “Pulps to Portraits” in the Bellarmine Museum of Art.
“I was part of what they call: ‘The Golden Age,’” said Kinstler, when describing his time as an illustrator for comic books and pulp magazines.
It truly was a different time. The disparity between generation and Kinstler’s time is striking.
Kinstler didn’t just wake up as one of America’s greatest artists and what Dr. Jill Deupi, director of Bellarmine Museum of Art, called a “national treasure.” He first had to drop out of high school.
Kinstler didn’t drop out at 16 in search of himself. Unlike many students today who try and find themselves, Kinstler “had nothing to find.”
He had something else. Something he considers more essential. “I was lucky. I had direction,” said Kinstler.
Kinstler was compelled by his passion for American illustration. “The illustrators role was to illuminate the story by the imagery,” said Kinstler.
Back then Kinstler was known as “the guy that was good at cowboys and cleavage,” he said.
But after years of illustration, Kinstler was drawn to natural storytellers; people like U.S. astronauts, seven U.S. presidents, six U.S. governors, over 50 U.S. cabinet officers, Arthur Miller Tennessee Williams, and more recently Donald Trump.
Sixty of his “marvelous portraits” as Jhomalys Moran ’14 called them, are in exhibition until Sept. 28 in the Bellarmine Museum of Art.
Moran said she attended the event because, as an art history major, she was fascinated by his artwork and “thought to [herself] how cool it would be to meet the artist.”
Others thought the same. The presentation room was overflowing to the point where people were lined up at the back of the room.
Although Kinstler said he was not keen on giving advice, especially “advice to artists who don’t ask,” he did have advice directed to our entire generation.
“I’ve been lucky and blessed … I was luckier than you [our generation] unless you have a direction” said Kinstler.
Moran said he has every right not to admire our generation. “Now a days people are too caught up in technology,” she said.
“I don’t envy your generation. Things change too quickly,” said Kinstler.
And what could be worse is that Kinstler’s passion for history has been lost to our generation.
“I really lament the fact that so many young people are not interested in what happened in the past … there is a lack of curiosity,” said Kinstler.
Moran, one of the few Fairfield students in attendance for reasons other then extra credit said she, “wished more students other than just the ones who felt obligated to attend,” – ones that could have came to appreciate the art.
Moran shares Kinstler’s sentiment on our generation. “ I feel like art isn’t appreciated as much as it should be on campus,” said Moran.
Kinstler followed his passion to achieve what students dream of after college. “I am blessed to earn my living doing something I enjoy and I never forget that,” said Kinstler.
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