Using the psuedonym "Dudly Finds", Lowell Darling Founded the Fat
City School of Fine Arts. in 1969.
According to one of the big department Heads, Dana Atchley, the school's
motto is " We don't makes art, we finds it!"
Legend has it that the inspiration to found this institution occured
when Mr. Darling walked off the street into a hotel lobby and, before he
could inquire as to the location of certain porcelain hardware of which
he had an urgent need, a lady behind a card table covered with blank name
tags asked, " What college?"
Mr. Darling glanced around and saw a bar, buffet tables full of free
food and a banner announcing a convention of college art departments. He
said, "Fat City!"
The lady wrote it on a name tag, added his name, and pointed him in
the direction of the facilities.
The rest is history.
"Art in America" magazine names this conceptual, tuition-free art school
as the largest in the nation. It has over 50,000 alumni. There are
no graduation requirements for the masters diploma from the Fat City School
other than the graduation ceremony itself. No classes. No tests. No papers.
No required exhibitions. No Nothing!
Simply step up, shake the hand of the granting Head with one hand and
with your other, receive the handsome diploma
suitable for framing. This certificate automatically confers on the recipient
a tenured appointment to the faculty of the Fat City School of Finds Art.
In fact, if the graduate so desires, they are promoted to Head of their
own department, vested with full authority to graduate others and awarded
a lifetime sabbatical leave.
Thus, the Fat City alumni have an advanced college degree, a job in
which they are their own boss, and time to pursue what's important. Making
a living is one of the few life problems not immediately solved by this
degree.