Still, Ikemoto stayed. As it turned out, he liked teaching, and the changes were gradual enough that he was able to adapt to them. That doesn't mean he didn't have confrontations with administrators. I'm sure there are people who resent that. He's a strong person.
Strong people intimidate other people.
Ikemoto himself says that an adversarial line was drawn between teachers and administrators. It's still a place where people get educated and not just trained. Cabrillo art instructor Ron Milhoan worked with Ikemoto for 16 years. They also take drives into the backcountry and paint together. Milhoan has kept a close eye on Ikemoto's teaching style and can tout its advantages.