Arthur Polonsky Obituary

April 8, 2019

lawrence strauss wrote a sympathy message

“My sympathies to the Polonsky family. As his student, he taught me a couple things: He taught me about an openness to the opinions of all -- he would politely observe and listen to us 18-year-olds (and, if we were lucky, skewer us in a pencil drawing). We students were in other classes told to make art, not illustration. He taught that all pictures are illustrations -- "look at Rembrandt,” he offered. He suggested I read Bronstein that situated me in belief in/pursuit of the feminine manifestation of God. He taught me about ways of achieving depth in pictures — Asian contrasts and railroad tracks. He taught me about making pictures with earnest faith despite a culture of cynicism. I look forward to getting him going on any subject (cheese?) in the world to come”