"You First Must Learn How To See"

Last week I posted a piece called Reality At The DMV. It was about understanding who our customers really are by visiting the DMV and looking around.

One ignorant commenter wrote the following:

"My point is that the scum of the earth waiting in line at your local DMV is not our target audience for anything other than target practice."

In response to that, a wise commenter named Rob wrote the following:

TIME: Day 1 of Year 1 (circa 1981)
PLACE: Los Angeles
CLASS: FINE ARTS INTRO
My teacher (a sculptor of some renown) takes roll, and then informs us of this nugget:
"Before you can learn how to draw, you first must learn how to see."
We then spent the day walking down Vermont Ave., up Figueroa, over to Broadway and through Chinatown. Along the way we visited; A Revival Meeting/Tamale Factory/Sat and talked with the Homeless/Went to a swap meet/Rosedale Cemetery/Korean Sweat Shop/Ate chicken feet.
The best stop was The Junkyard, at which time our Professor instructed us to find
something of beauty amid all the discards.
IT WAS GREAT!
I've never forgotten that lesson!
One day my boss (a rather effete and affected agency CD sort) invited me to attend a showing of 'In The American West' celebrating Richard Avedon's work. As we strolled up
to talk with Avedon, my boss uttered some disparaging remarks about the slovenly
and disheveled nature of his featured subjects. Avedon then tersely shot back:
"They are quite beautiful to me!"
Like it or not;
Wal-Mart
The Sizzler
Hyundai/Toyota/Ford Dealerships
The Lavanderia
are where you'll find the bulk of the folks
whom we profess to know so much about.
They're all around us, in some cases right there in our very own living rooms!
You just have to be open to seeing it.

Thanks, Rob