revolutionary thomas jefferson

Interview of Thomas Jefferson-

1. Q: Mr. Jefferson, as a child or young adult what inspired you to be an architect? Or for that matter, to be in the arts?
A: Well, as a boy I had always dreamed of creating a beautiful mountaintop home within site of Shadwell. And after I had graduated from college, I was able to fulfill that dream. Normally people think that I was a child prodigy, who would be destined for greatness. Even though I did become great I started out as a normal kid who had dreams. When I read books of art and buildings I was fascinated by there complexity, naturally I was drawn to interesting things, wouldn’t you be?
I didn’t have that much inspiration. In fact my main help and growth as an artist happened in college, I wont go to much into detail about that, well get there later. Oh I did forget that my father helped me, and I wanted to be good and a responsible boy to my father. So I followed his footsteps.

2. Q: As you were developing your talent and skills in the arts, did you have a mentor who helped you learn?
A: As I said previously, my father was my main tutor I had, but a few men taught me appreciation of the arts. They are profound in most useful branches of science, Dr. William Small, a young professor at William and Mary. George Wythe, a great teacher of law. Distinguished Virginia gentlemen including: Lieutenant Governor Fauquier, William Byrd, and John Page. They were gentlemen indeed and I did quite enjoy their hospitality and teachings.
My “mentor” in terms was books, or the people who made and illustrated architectural books. When I would read I felt inspired beyond words, which drove me to fill those words with sketches and real artwork. Andrea Palladio is probably at the top of that list to drive me forward, he was a great architectural theorist of the Renaissance.

3. Q: When you entered the art field, what was it first like?
A: This is a very interesting question…. Well in 1767, there were few architectural resources in America from which to select, witch made it hard to design because you never knew what you were going to have to make it. But as I learned more and got to know people, it became easier to get the ideas and supplies. That’s why I had to rise in the chain of politics and education.
If in fact I hadn’t been at the top of my craft and respected by others then my architectural work would have gotten nowhere. And I wouldn’t allow that, I lived in my own buildings. I built monuments that will test time itself and be used until it comes down, did I think I could do that when I began? Ha ha ha, its silly to even think that, I was nervous like all beginning craftsmen.

4. Q: Were you affected by the economic or political culture while you were in your art craft?
A: Yes, when I first entered school no American school or college offered architectural training, so I had to learn from my father. And when I began to design for buildings they were usually selected from handbooks. So I never was able to take my training up to new levels, until that is, when I got to William and Mary and met people. The politics are very important in my art, I was in politics a lot for I was a lawyer and later became the gosh darn president of the United States! My art was critical to portray my own goals, to show that if I could do something by a dream then the rest of America can.

5. Q: What are some of your favorite or best accomplishments in the art field?
A: I would have to say the Monticello, it was my slave plantation holding over 600 slaves, and it was built based on neo-classical arts. Plus I lived there from time to time, and unfortunately had few conspiracies arise…. That is another topic though. Now back to your question, the University of Virginia is up there as well, it was the monument that I spoke earlier of, another would be the Virginia State Capitol because it is still used today and very much appreciated.
I wish that when I was alive I could have the technology today had brought upon the design and architectural universe… I would have huge monuments; I think you call them “sky scrapers”. Nevertheless, I am perfectly content with what I made in my time, no I am more than content, and I made history itself. With slaves, college, students, I enriched so many people. That is a major accomplishment.

6. Q: What were some key opportunities or turning points in your life and art?
A: When I met Dr. William Small he opened my opportunities very much. He introduced me to all of the other people who helped me develop passion for arts, and beginning a law career with I studying for five years with George Wythe. Wythe's father-in-law was Richard Taliaferro was involved with numerous building designs in the Virginia-Tidewater region. So I had numerous discussions with Taliaferro on the subject of architecture.
I also traveled a lot to expand my understanding of architecture. John Adams and I traveled north to Annapolis, Philadelphia, and New York. I had to make my structures perfect to my idea and model, the many places I ventured allowed me to realize how I could go beyond perfect and make extraordinary places, not from brick and distasteful items used in poor class with logs and huts…

7. Q: What personal choices did you make to become successful?
A: I decided to become well versed in Greek, French, Latin, Italian, and Spanish. It helped me to know more people and be seen as a very intellectual person. Languages are key to understanding other types of architecture. I read books all day and night, I cannot live without books, and it was because of books I discovered the world of architecture. Plus with the many languages I knew, the more books I could read!
And also, I have to give credit to being a responsible and a bit over prepared from time to time. Being a perfectionist though I had to. But I chose to be close to important people and it paid of, I got first hand lessons and grew to who I am, a legacy.

8. Q: What hardships did you have to get through to be an artist and to be where you are today?
A: Yes, my wife had died September 6, 1782, and I never remarried. So for the rest of my life I was mainly alone and had to be a great leader and artist by myself. It was terrible… I invested my time to get better, but that is just something I, nor anyone I would think could get through. And with the typical banter and slander from opposing views in the presidential position hurts. But people do not look down on me; no they cannot on my monuments. I would like to see them do better? But they cant! Talk all they want, but I know I did great!
I faced problems with my daughters I did try to lead them to a certain lifestyle, which wasn’t the best way to be a father. Put that on top of my wife’s death, my personal struggles were far greater than my career struggles.

9. Q: What kind of limitations did you run into as both an artist and a person?
A: I was a very political man, I wasn’t good at certain speeches and I faced trouble as anyone would in politics. My believes were concrete but had to surpass those who disagreed with my opinions on things like slavery.
I don’t know what else to say, my struggles are put in the question previous to this. My personal life took blows left and right.

10. Q: What personal stories tell how you became who you are in the arts?
A: I made a tour into the south of France and the northern parts of Italy, in which he passed three months, my plan was to visit the ports along the western and southern coast of France, particularly Marseilles, Bordeaux, Nantes, and L'Orient, to obtain such information as would enable me to judge of the practicability of making further improvements in our commerce with the southern provinces of France. I was in the pursuit of acquiring objects of profitable agriculture in America and of improving the husbandry of those already established as staples.
This story I love for that it shows I am a man who wants to help grow and benefit the country by traveling and using my artistic mind to help agriculture flourish.

revolutionary thomas jefferson

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