Al Beck
Author Bio
My interests in life evolve from a particular aspect of character. And that happens to be CURIOSITY. Curiosity leads me onto fortuitous highways (and sometimes into unexpected alleys). As a Korean War veteran, I was never prepared to ever again leave the USA. But graduate work at the University of Paris (Sorbonne) in France became a second reality for travel abroad. Role as an art teacher began in 1956 – moving from elementary to high school in Ohio to Dean at the Kansas City Art Institute and ended up with nearly thirty years full time at Culver-Stockton College. And for several years afterward, I became a Professor Emeritus volunteer educator in a variety of class programs before my farewell in 2010.
Why am I here? Well, when I officially retired from teaching at C-SC in the late 1990s, I still was connected by creative momentum. So I began to write poetry, song lyrics, essays on what’s wrong with Education’s present system, made drawings (still do), also unique clay vessels (still do), tended a garden filled with rare heirloom vegetables with seeds acquired from countries all over the world, and also continued performing with banjo as a Professional American Folksinger (something I’ve had passion for during the past 50 years).
Al Beck - March 2010 Featured Selection