But Now You’re REALLY Good At Painting Flowers!

I signed up for a still life painting course. In discussion with the organiser, I explained that I was looking to gain some experience and learn to paint different things. They seemed to say all the right words and convinced me that this was for me.

In the first class, I noticed two things straight away. One was that I was the only man, and the second was that the room was full of paintings of flowers.

I didn’t really register anything into either, but I wasn’t surprised that the first thing we painted was a vase of flowers.

The next thing was a different bunch of flowers and then another bunch of flowers.

After a while, I started to want something new. I enjoyed it, but I wasn’t going to paint flowers at home. This wasn’t teaching me much.

After being presented with another bunch of flowers:

Me: “Sorry, but will we be painting anything else?”

Instructor: “You don’t like these flowers?”

Me: “They’re fine, but I was expecting something different at some point. I don’t know, fruit, people, or something.”

Instructor: “Don’t worry, your masculinity won’t be hurt by flowers.”

Me: “I didn’t say that. I don’t mind painting flowers, but that’s all we’ve done. I was hoping for variety.”

Instructor: “Well, I’m sorry but that’s all I prepared.”

I went with it for now, but when the next painting was of flowers again, I had to say something.

Me: “Sorry, but are we going to do anything different at all?”

Instructor: “The subjects will be chosen by me.”

Me: “Fine, just wanted to know. Excuse me; I have a phone call to make.”

I called the company and ask to cancel, explaining my reasons. They begged me to try one more class and said that they would talk to the instructor.

I went to the next class.

Instructor: “Thanks to somebody, we will have to not finish last week’s painting. Instead, we have a new model.”

She pulled off the cloth to reveal the still life: instead of a vase of flowers, it was… flowers on a plate. I got up and left, got some of my money back, and found a new instructor.

I wasn’t shocked to see some of the people from the last course in the new one.