Like Annie, I was a student of Derek’s at Northwestern and took his painting class several times over. Each time learning a bit more about the practice of art and how I saw the world. However, the real education took place after class when 6-8 of us would retire with Derek to the cellar of a nearby pizza joint for pizza, beer, and discussion. After a bit of relaxing banter, Derk would invariably pose what seemed to be a simple question about art, the art world, the relationship between art and the current social situation around us, or some other aspect of the current art scene. Each of these questions seemed perfectly straightforward and simple on the face of it. Being eager students and of that age where we thought we knew virtually everything about how the world worked, we jumped headlong into the intellectual trap. The questions of course were never as simply answered as they seemed but rather lead us on a tortuous path from the easy answer to another question until either we began to see how complicated the art world really was or we became so frustrated that we sank into the quicksand of our own ignorance. But we always came back for more. How could we not; we were learning.

One thing that became obvious was that this sort of discourse – even though we students were intellectually “outgunned” (and knew it) was alive. It bore no resemblence to the dead art hanging on museum walls and the little plaques beside them. The issues were current, relevant, and revealed an aspect of art none of us had ever even known we ought to be considering and discussing with others even in our ignorance. We still had viewpoints – even though they were so easily dispatched into nonsense – and they were worth sharing amongst each other.

When Derek suggested this sort of discouse should exist throughout the art world from museum to individual artist, we wholeheartedly agreed. When he suggested it could be brought into existance as a publication, I was among the first to say – given my education as an engineer and brief working experience – that this was not possible. We had no big buck sponsor or angel, no money, no plan that any reasonable business person could possibly find credible, and so on. Thank God Derek and Jane proved me wrong.

I was not so much an ardent supporter of the CNAA and the resulting NAE as a reluctant participant dragged along by the tide of events. This was the time of the Vietnam War, Kennedy inspiring us to do something for our country, never trust anybody over 30, flower power, free love and nickel beer. I never got much of the latter two but I guess that in my heart I really wanted the NAE to succeed in spite of my innate pessimism. It was summed up on the masthead: “The Independent Voice of the Visual Arts”. It is the Independence that we have lost with the passing of the NAE.

Along with several of my original classmates, I ended up on the Board of Directors of the CNAA, helping with the grunt work of fund raising events, and contributing money I didn’t really have time after time. Every cent was well spent. I got a real education in what my father always referred to as “the College of Hard Knocks”.

I am amazed to this day how Derek and Jane kept us from just giving up in desperation time after time.

I have my share of stories about those times and a theory as to why the art world lends itself to such easy manipulation but I will save them for another time. Thanks again, Annie.

The mission statement for the NAE has never been more neccesary “…to examine the definition and transmission of culture in our society; the decision-making processes within museums and schools and the agencies of patronage which determine the manner in which culture shall be transmitted; the value systems which presently influence the making of art as well as its study in exhibitions and books; and, in particular, the interaction of these factors with the visual art milieu.”

I am part of a generation in the UK of Thatcher’s children, a generation that was told that society should be superceded by the individual and the value of that individuals achievement would be measured by its fiscal achievements and viability. So we clammer over each other in pursuit of… oh dear.. where is it that we were supposed to heading and what is it I was supposed to be believe in?

The climate is a vacuum, a vacuum where people have forgotten the value of coming together and exchanging ideas. Real ideas, of depth and meaning. I moved to Cornwall in the UK to privately search for something more meaningful. Freedom from a dazzling celebration of mediocrity.

I first met Derek Guthrie some years back, we have chatted tentatively since, slowly coming out of the shell. These exchanges have grown in to discourse, and the numbers involved have blossomed. Within Cornwall are a group of inteligent people who have something to say and nowhere to say it, we plan on dealing with the cultural vacuum. As with the very first issue of the New Art Examiner, what seems to be needed as a matter of cultural urgency is an independent voice that speaks “without fear or favour’