This intensive process of studying the Masters led to questioning Modernism. That nobody dares wonder about. I ask myself about the meaning of painting. The stuff you are taught in books. The received knowledge.
Great art keeps accruing meaning that is often unspoken.
If art only has public meaning, like a lot of contemporary stuff, and no private, or secret meaning, then you have an academic piece. Yes, but why paint today when cutting edge international art has explored everything from performance, video, installation, social, sexual, and political content. There are many techniques involved in painting. It's complex, difficult and not fast. There's no such thing as fast art.