Alternatives for Fine art major after BFA

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
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<p>Honied_dreams:
Thanks for your input!
It looks like the Ph.D. option is not a good idea.</p>

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<p>Here’s something a little more out of the blue…</p>

<p>Apparently, the US military used artists to form the 603rd Camouflage Engineers during WWII. I first read about them in an obituary in the Washington Post and was amazed that most of their activities were not de-classified until relatively recently, and some of their activities are still not de-classified. </p>

<p>Here’s a bit from the “Ghost Army” page on Wikipedia:</p>

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<p>And here’s a bit from the obituary: </p>

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<p>it is going off topic but when I asked about colorblindness and art career, the gallery owner/himself artist who is colorblind pointed out the advantage being able to detect fake Picasso print from subtle difference in the shade of black, also wrote to me that, during war time camouflaging could not fool colorblind eyes and their skill was used for advantage of troops. They can’t fly jet planes but they could see from the sky above what normal soldiers can’t.
There must be many stories like that, thanks G
let’s hope all those people’d get recognition they deserve, while still time to honor them in person.</p>

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<p>greenwitch:
love your story!
bears: Weakness can be someone advantage which is so cool!</p>

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<p>I am a parent of a recent MFA in painting and drawing as well as the parent of another daughter who graduated from the University of Rochester although not in studio art. The Rochester Ph.D. program is outstanding, very intensive but it is not for studio art or those aspiring to make a living as a working artist. It is also unusual for someone to go right into a graduate program directly from undergrad. My d had a year of a post-bac program after graduating with a double-degree in studio art and art history. She was one of the youngest in her MFA class. MFA programs are very small by design because there cannot be unlimited studio space so if you have a two year program, you will probably have a max of 16 painters between first and second years, 16 sculptors, and so on. Getting into an MFA program is extremely competitive and even with tuition remission as TA, you are not 100% covered. My d’s career aspirations are a career in academia and she is building her resume by working in her dept as an adjunct for undergrad studio classes. She also has museum experience and a current museum job… however between the two jobs, she barely can support herself and can only do so because she has no loans and lives cheaply. Remember as an artist once you are done with school, you will be renting studio space and you are constantly buying materials and supplies. On the art history side, getting positions, even internships in major museums is extremely competitive. Curatorial positions in major museums do require Ph.D and are a long haul to get, especially as you must have expertise in languages other than English in doing primary research for your thesis. While your work can be subsidized by tuition remission and grants, it is a long academic grind and only undertaken by those with a serious understanding and purpose.</p>

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<p>bookmama:
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I really appreciate your input!
you have :
My d had a year of a post-bac program after graduating with a double-degree in studio art and art history.
What is post-bac program? Is that a special program from certain place?
It is so nice your daughter get double degree from studio and art history! I am sure art history will help her career development in a long run.
Thanks for sharing again!</p>

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<p>bookmama…thanks for the info and story about your D. I think learning to live frugally and debt free is a critical skill for all but the luckiest art students–a critical life lesson for everyone but an especially valuable one for someone with a low expected income during their early and mid professional years. As parents, we can’t help worry about the long term for our artist progeny but I think they will gain some very important life skills as they try to make a living from what they love.</p>

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<p>Hi honied_dreams, Congratulations on your success as an artist, and thank you for the sound advice! Let us know if you have an exhibit in NY!</p>

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<p>To add my original post, a post-bac is a post college program generally for 1 or 2 years in which you intensively work on developing your portfolio for grad school applications beyond your undergrad work as well as being mentored for the grad school admission process. At my d’s post-bac, you also work as a TA for undergrad studio classes so that covers part or perhaps all of the post-bac tuition although not your living expenses and supplies. Another option for developing a portfolio for grad school submission is to work on your own in your own studio and submit to shows and galleries for several years and develop contacts apart from your faculty because you need letters of recommendation for admission. They can be diverse but preferably well-connected.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the input!
I learned a lot from honied_dreams and bookmama! greenwitch’s story makes me laugh.</p>

<p>I would like to add the links Wheaty posted here, that may help others…</p>

<p>Anyone, please help with you experience, really appreciate all different perspective inputs.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1213554-mfa-acceptance-rates.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1213554-mfa-acceptance-rates.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1214347-art-history-phd-acceptance-rates.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1214347-art-history-phd-acceptance-rates.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>bookmama–did your D do her post-bac at Rochester or a different school? I miss school but am not ready to do an MFA yet–sounds like it may be a good option (depending on the cost!).</p>

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<p>today’s e-news
[Elvira</a> Dyangani Ose appointed Curator of international art with a focus on Africa at Tate Modern](<a href=“http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=50887]Elvira”>http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=50887)
when I saw the photo, the first words popped into my mind was “token hire!!”
I am sorry for right minded people, I just can’t help it.
then she was born and did BA, masters in Spain, phD History of Art and Visual Studies at Cornell.
I don’t know. Is it wrong to feel weird about her hiring got to do something with bank$$$, and she would be complementing “Kerryn Greenberg recently appointed Curator International Art at Tate Modern who leads Tate’s newly formed African Acquisitions Committee”</p>

<p>“complimenting” could mean anything.
Let’s hope she’d put up good fight.
It is going to be our kids’ fight, love, like it or not.
For those who have no worry in that department ( I don’t know how to put it otherwise without getting in trouble) it seems really really help to speak other language, preferably do entire studying elsewhere, let it be England or Germany, if your goal is a legit intellectual museum job, here or anywhere.
These hires are searched worldwide.
awwww only wish…</p>

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<p>I am digging out old posts and want to link this here, thinking it may help the parent/student in case they are thinking this option.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1099895-alternative-paths-fine-arts-majors.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1099895-alternative-paths-fine-arts-majors.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;