Democracy of Art quote

Something I found today in a 104 year old book by Williams Morris,

"What I want to do is to put definitely before you a cause for which to strive. That cause is the Democracy of Art, the ennobling of daily and common work, which will one day put hope and pleasure in the place of fear and pain, as forces which move men to labor and keep the world a-going." William Morris


He was an English author. 1834-1896. This was a preface quote in the Text Books of Art Education by The Prang Educational Company. It is a series of eight books put out for children in the early years to learn about the subject of art. It is so well written that I, a grown up adult practicing art for decades, find much useful knowledge that can be for the present day artist. The authors of these books take one back to the basics of art, first objectively then subjectively. Art is normally taught from an objective viewpoint, studying things rather than principles. To understand art as a subjective 'Design' principle will give the creator the power to truly make beautiful works of art.

I feel here is a time in my life that I want to go back and be a kid again, theoretically to re-visit the fundamentals of art and see how I fly afterwards. I am already placing some of these elementary principles into a work of art right as I speak.
Bye for now, I must paint...

PS, funny thing, when I was a young 12-15 year old, (back in the 60's) I had a black metal Prang watercolor box with a snapping lid. I loved that double row set and all the colors I used to make from the tiny squares. I still have the empty box today in my old art storage somewhere. Of course it was empty, I used every last color in those trays! I will find it someday and take a picture of it, then post it here.

Meanwhile here is a picture of myself with a mean looking pirate at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco. I wanted to kiss him but my daughter's wouldn't let me, so I was laughing here.