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While writing the previous post, sprung to mind an amusing incident that happened to me in Art school.

One day, at the end of the lesson, the teacher told me to stay for a chat. We remained in the classroom while the other students were leaving. He looked at me with a slight amusement in his eye and said:

- "You know there is one thing that can be said about you: you are very lucky!"
- (I pondered this for a brief moment, trying to decipher what exactly he meant and what my answer should be) "Oh, yes!" (the only answer that was non-committal to me at the time)
- "Oh yes you certainly are..."
More and more puzzled I staired at him. Then he resumed:
- "About the trees that I asked you all to draw "live"... When looking at yours (holding my drawing and then showing it to me) from the overall shape and the leaves, I would say that it is an elm. Is it?"
- (still undecided on whether this was going to be a compliment or not, I tentatively answered) "Yes..."
- (same amused look and in appreciation) "Hmmm, 'thought so... You see when I was an illustrator for an encyclopedia a long time ago I had to thoroughly study all sorts of things and believe it or not trees were my favourite! So when I saw your drawing I knew it had to be an elm..."

Silence fell for a few seconds while he looked from the drawing to me and back again.

Then, he said:
- "Where is this tree?"
- "Where I live"
- "Really? And where do you live?"
- "L'Hay les Roses"
- "I'll have to go there and see it for myself!!!"...

Utter puzzlement and then the realization that the following was not going to be a compliment:
-..."because you see if this tree is an actual elm tree, then it means that they have not all been wiped out by a deadly epidemic"...
- "I suppose not"
- "This is why I must see it by myself because that would truly be a miracle!!!"
...
- "Tell me something, did you really stand next to this tree and draw it as I asked you all to do?"
- "Well...sort of"
- ??
- "I drew if from my bedroom window"....

He smiled and then said:
- "Next time when I ask to draw something "live" it means to actually stand right next to the subject and draw it. OK?.... You can go now."

That was twenty odd years ago and I still remember everything!