But the single-greatest inspiration she had when was at the San Francisco Art Institute was the first Filipino instructor she ever had—Carlos Villa. "He showed me how being an artist wasn’t just about making work, alone in a studio—it was about community and education and activism."
Part of this passion to learn and share her knowledge and talent may be the reason why she teaches art. Starting with shortterm workshops and projects with non-profit organizations 15 years ago, Wofford however, explained that the desire to teach was a combination of things she didn’t expect. "…How fun, dynamic, unpredictable and goofy it was to work with kids. How challenging, stressful, but ultimately meaningful it felt to teach, as opposed to just make, art."
She sadly noted however, that the challenges have been the same for public school art teachers. "Too many students per class, tight budgets. For art at the high school level, there’s also very limited student skill and knowledge to build on (since many students lose art classes after elementary school)."
She also laments the lack of jobs as a university lecturer, especially in the current economic situation. "There are no full-time jobs for me, or any for a number of my peers."
Being an Asian/Filipino-American artist, Wofford believes that challenges have been education, accessibility at times, and sometimes, the content of work she does isn’t immediately understood by the mainstream American art audience. "The folks who might more immediately appreciate it aren’t in the habit of going to museums and galleries as often. When Filipinos start going to museum and galleries, and increasing their presence as visitors and patrons, this will change."
But she sees this situation to change soon. "It’s all changing, really. I feel grateful to have grown up in an era where I’ve seen radical change in what’s acceptable, and who’s acceptable, in the art world. I feel grateful for mentors like artist Carlos Villa, who made his early work under very different, more difficult conditions."
Her advise to those who want to pursue a career in art? Aside from advising to build a strong community of creative peers who also want to succeed and encourage one’s success, Wofford shares this piece of advice, "Don’t be afraid, and don’t be a flake. Those two things eliminate 90 percent of the talent out there. Artists are sensitive, whimsical creatures—sometimes we need to push it—to work a little harder to put ourselves out there, to not second guess ourselves, to follow through with obligations…Success is not some big mystery tied to creative genius. It’s all up to you to be energetic and persistent enough to make it happen."
( www.asianjournal.com )
( Published on July 10, 2009 in SF Magazine p.B2 )
