2 answers
Symphony
Student
Victorville, California
1
Question
Asked
448 views
Art school graduates(or attenders !), do you think art school is worth it ?
I'm someone who has been jumping around majors before finally landing on art school as a path to go. I've heard a lot of mixed stories about whether art school was worth it or not. To anyone who currently attends, graduated or teaches, what are your opinions ?
Login to comment
2 answers
Michelle M.
Actress
3276
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Symphony !
I didn't go to art school, however, my mother was a fine artist and I went to college and obtained my degree in Theatre with the emphasis on Acting.
Symphony, the only thing that matters is that you think that Art School is worth it. Everyone has their own journey and career experience and so will you. You can look at it as something to worry about or you can look at it as an exciting venture that is more awesome with every project you work on. Art will teach you a lot about yourself and others. Your special way of displaying your creativity, your capacity for appreciation, your energy level and how you decide to make a career of it. Other people's opinions and experiences in art school should not matter to you. You'll have your story one day and you can provide encouragement to up and coming artists.
More than just lessons and inspiration, Art School provides the opportunity to meet like minded people, real projects to work on, possibly having your work shown, making vital contacts through many avenues of networking at school and outside of school in the community. If that's not worth it, I don't know what is. Doing it totally on your own can feel isolating and instill doubt, never getting much feedback, having to struggle to network in environments where people don't know you already. I would say Art School is definitely the way to go.
One of the most awesome things about being an artist is that it's possible to have your own service, freelance, and have your hand in a few things simultaneously. Art can become your freedom.
So hearing people's stories is interesting on a personal level, but you will need to take the journey through art school if your mind and heart are really serious about it. Each artist finds their own special rewards by being an Artist. The people who felt that Art school was a waste did not have the passion or drive it takes to enjoy it or follow through with a serious career for it. That's okay, too, because life is long and we have different journeys throughout our lives.
Just know that dedication, being around other artists and art professionals and education will keep you in charge of your talents and make for a happy, satisfying career ! Never give up !
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
I didn't go to art school, however, my mother was a fine artist and I went to college and obtained my degree in Theatre with the emphasis on Acting.
Symphony, the only thing that matters is that you think that Art School is worth it. Everyone has their own journey and career experience and so will you. You can look at it as something to worry about or you can look at it as an exciting venture that is more awesome with every project you work on. Art will teach you a lot about yourself and others. Your special way of displaying your creativity, your capacity for appreciation, your energy level and how you decide to make a career of it. Other people's opinions and experiences in art school should not matter to you. You'll have your story one day and you can provide encouragement to up and coming artists.
More than just lessons and inspiration, Art School provides the opportunity to meet like minded people, real projects to work on, possibly having your work shown, making vital contacts through many avenues of networking at school and outside of school in the community. If that's not worth it, I don't know what is. Doing it totally on your own can feel isolating and instill doubt, never getting much feedback, having to struggle to network in environments where people don't know you already. I would say Art School is definitely the way to go.
One of the most awesome things about being an artist is that it's possible to have your own service, freelance, and have your hand in a few things simultaneously. Art can become your freedom.
So hearing people's stories is interesting on a personal level, but you will need to take the journey through art school if your mind and heart are really serious about it. Each artist finds their own special rewards by being an Artist. The people who felt that Art school was a waste did not have the passion or drive it takes to enjoy it or follow through with a serious career for it. That's okay, too, because life is long and we have different journeys throughout our lives.
Just know that dedication, being around other artists and art professionals and education will keep you in charge of your talents and make for a happy, satisfying career ! Never give up !
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Kim Matthews
Graphic Production Designer and Sculptor
109
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Two-time art school dropout and vocational commercial art graduate here. A quality art education is invaluable: It teaches you how to create and solve problems, become a flexible thinker, manage time, learn technical skills and, for certain media, work well with others. And Michelle makes a good point: Depending on where you go to school, you could make some social connections that could get your foot in the door of a gallery or access to other career opportunities such as apprenticeships. Relationship building is a big part of success as a studio artist--as is having something to say that isn't like everyone else's, and being able to produce, exhibit, and self-promote consistently.
Like any other program, what you get out of it is directly proportional to what you put into it. The difference with studio courses, though, is that the work is really never done. You just have to get your assignments as close to what you wanted (and, of course, what they require) as possible and live with the results. That's considerably different from more quantitatively measurable coursework, like history or math, and may make keeping up with your other coursework challenging.
Art school is really hard work but not nearly as hard as trying to make it as a practicing studio artist, so you'd better want it with every fiber of your being. The time management challenges alone are daunting, unless you don't need additional sources of income to meet your financial obligations as a student and thereafter.
Also consider that you can always take community ed or continuing education courses as well as engaging in self-directed studies using books and online tutorials. And there are affordable summer workshops at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Anderson Ranch, and Penland--all really cool places to go that offer high-quality specialized instruction from experts, total creative freedom, and the chance to make lifelong friends. And they have scholarship programs. I've taken workshops at Haystack and Anderson Ranch, and they were each wonderful in their own ways.
What I'm saying, essentially, is that if you have other options that mean just as much to you as being a professional artist, I'd focus on taking the basics you need to graduate and try a studio class such as color theory or drawing to start. No matter what, you'll get something out of the studio course, and you'll have more options if you get the general requirements out of the way. I wish that artists and other creative people were more valued in our culture, but that's just not where we are right now. I hope for everyone's sake that changes.
In the end, you have to follow your heart. The late writer and lecturer Joseph Campbell said, "Follow your bless, and doors will open where there were no doors before."
Rooting for you in Minneapolis! Hope this helps.
Like any other program, what you get out of it is directly proportional to what you put into it. The difference with studio courses, though, is that the work is really never done. You just have to get your assignments as close to what you wanted (and, of course, what they require) as possible and live with the results. That's considerably different from more quantitatively measurable coursework, like history or math, and may make keeping up with your other coursework challenging.
Art school is really hard work but not nearly as hard as trying to make it as a practicing studio artist, so you'd better want it with every fiber of your being. The time management challenges alone are daunting, unless you don't need additional sources of income to meet your financial obligations as a student and thereafter.
Also consider that you can always take community ed or continuing education courses as well as engaging in self-directed studies using books and online tutorials. And there are affordable summer workshops at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Anderson Ranch, and Penland--all really cool places to go that offer high-quality specialized instruction from experts, total creative freedom, and the chance to make lifelong friends. And they have scholarship programs. I've taken workshops at Haystack and Anderson Ranch, and they were each wonderful in their own ways.
What I'm saying, essentially, is that if you have other options that mean just as much to you as being a professional artist, I'd focus on taking the basics you need to graduate and try a studio class such as color theory or drawing to start. No matter what, you'll get something out of the studio course, and you'll have more options if you get the general requirements out of the way. I wish that artists and other creative people were more valued in our culture, but that's just not where we are right now. I hope for everyone's sake that changes.
In the end, you have to follow your heart. The late writer and lecturer Joseph Campbell said, "Follow your bless, and doors will open where there were no doors before."
Rooting for you in Minneapolis! Hope this helps.