Gradschool or a Second Bach?

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1

<p>Looking for help with this- I've read some other posts that are related to this and some of it applies to me and was very helpful, the rest is more complicated.</p>

<p>I am a (very) recent art school graduate and I am not happy with the major I had. Due to some financial aid suggestions and instructor changes, I ended-up with a BFA in multimedia, but really because of when the courses were offered, didn't end up taking any of the required coursework for my major until my last year of school- with no room to take very any related classes that I wanted to or be able to sample any other majors...almost at all. (I took the normal foundation courses- drawing, sculpture, intro media arts classes etc. but nothing past those initial required "generals").</p>

<p>So, my question now is, I really want to take way more print and drawing classes--things relating to illustration and contemporary pop art (the line is pretty blurry at the moment). After I struggled through the last two semesters of my degree, I realized I have a ton of conceptual understanding, but no technical background in anything I am interested in at all.</p>

<p>Would graduate school allow me to take courses to help me develop that technical skill set I didn't receive? Or do I have see if I can transfer my credits to a different school for a BFA with a different major?</p>

<p>I realize that I could take individual classes--but that is very expensive at art schools- private or public university, and you can't usually receive any financial aid.</p>

<p>I'm really pretty depressed about all of this and would really appreciate the help and advice. Thank you.</p>

2

<p>Some of the suggestions that are in the the thread addressed to brown06 apply to you as well. It would help if we knew where you live or where you want to live so that we can help you figure out your options. Continuing Ed classes are not as expensive as regular undergraduate classes. There are places like the Art Students League in NYC that offer traditional art training at a fraction of the cost. There are printmaking collectives all over the country that offer workshops and classes. There are opportunities for life drawing classes in all over the country as well.
Here is a the curriculum of the graduate Illustration program at SVA: [School</a> of Visual Arts<em>></em>Graduate<em>></em>Sample Programs](<a href=“http://www.schoolofvisualarts.edu/grad/index.jsp?sid0=2&sid1=32&page_id=165]School”>http://www.schoolofvisualarts.edu/grad/index.jsp?sid0=2&sid1=32&page_id=165)</p>

<p>Look at some other curriculums at other schools as well. If you feel that you would be in over your head in a program like this then use your time to build up your work, style and portfolio so so that you are ready to enter a grad program. Carry a sketchbook around, draw all the time, let yourself be influenced by your favorite artists, give yourself assignments and themes. If you don’t trust yourself to follow through on your work independently, join an artists collective, take a small studio space in an artist run building…in other words get yourself around other artists so that you have support and community to keep yourself going.</p>

<p>Someone else said it here before. If you are truly an artist, nothing will stop you from doing your work. You won’t be able to help it. Even if you had taken all the courses you wish you had at this point, you would still be graduating feeling incomplete. That is because art is a process. That is the beauty of it. It’s not an end game. Even the most successful artists never rest on their past work. It is more about where they dream of going next. That’s creation.</p>

3

<p>Still thinking. A lot depends on your financial situation as well. I would do the math. What would a second bachelor’s cost you? If it takes just two more years at a state school, a second bachelor’s could cost less than an MFA.</p>

4

<p>I currently live in Minneapolis. I cannot see myself living here for a long period of time after my graduation (which happened in May). No more than a year- and 2 years is pushing it.</p>

<p>My financial situation, to put it bluntly, sucks. I didn’t have much outside support (financial or otherwise) during school, and now have virtually none.</p>

<p>I thought about New York and various areas on the west coast–but the catch to that is I don’t have any financial way to even visit there on the cheap and see the schools etc. if not just visit to see if I would want to live there.</p>

<p>“Getting up and just going” is a nice thought, but realistically, it isn’t possible if you just can’t get a reasonable pool of funds together to be safe.</p>

<p>The graduate curriculum at SVA does look good- but I didn’t get a BFA in Illustration so any sort of technique, digital or otherwise, I have very little training in.</p>

<p>I hope this all doesn’t sound like a huge downer–but I feel very ripped off and low about all of this.</p>

5

<p>downer is my middle name.
go to museums on free day. It kept/keep me going.
I haven’t been there but my kid did and loved Walker and MIA
I looked and they got some cheap drawing class, but none coming soon. maybe put yourself on mailing list?
<a href=“http://www.artsmia.org/index.php?section_id=453[/url]”>http://www.artsmia.org/index.php?section_id=453&lt;/a&gt;
how are you living? got job or with family or what?
money is funny thing. you think you had none and wished had more, then looking back those times are the most creative and productive (and young!!! one thing money can not buy)
look at masterpieces and read about them, stay around your old school maybe do odd jobs donno, administration or storekeeper?
when I visited schools, I always asked if barista of cafe or bookstore sales or admission receptionist is a student there. answer is often “was” graduated few years back.
I asked why and reasons being able to use resources (library books, tool shed, printing press, etc. depending on the school) and stay connected to ‘happenings’
can go listen to visiting artist, talk to profs, put some works for student show among current students while figuring out what to do next.</p>

<p>like mamabear drae said, there is no set goal or right way to get there.
you can do many things while making some money and being around people that inspire you (not drag you down) Minneapolis seems good place to do that now it’s summer and no snow, no?</p>

6

<p>Living is the hardest part at the moment. I do feel like money has in my past at least, been a burden when it comes to the continuation of creativity and actually “producing” work. IE- tendency to eat out or go to a show rather than continuing to work on a project.</p>

<p>But yes, living is the problem at the moment. I was expecting to still have hours at my cafe job and instead, drastic cuts the week after I graduated. Unemployment benefits still haven’t come about, so here I am applying every day with bills already mounting and no help for them.</p>

<p>And YES- the Walker is good and we have some very good independent galleries here otherwise (SOO Visual Arts Center is great). I live right next to the MIA so they plop you on the mailing list regardless if you ask it or not- which isn’t a bad thing at all. :)</p>

<p>Something that was suggested about classes and artist co-ops etc. is a nice thought. The support of the joe-job is definitely required for it though. The easiest to get into (and likewise, most accessible/respected) print studio does offer space and classes. Both of which cost an alarming amount when coupled with a membership fee (the cheapest being $80 a month–but you have to sign up for one class or space to have membership :confused: ).</p>

<p>I guess trying to figure out where to go from here just seems like a higher mountain to climb without any financial assistance and while looking for a job “in the meantime”.</p>

<p>The idea that perhaps I could try to get the training I didn’t get with a different bachelor’s was just a thought. I don’t think I could fathom the idea of going through graduate school with little technical skill in a major that I didn’t really want in the end.</p>

7

<p>I made stink about this poster in other thread but message here is true
[Louise</a> Fili Subway Poster Is Historical, Impactful | SPEAK A&D BLOG](<a href=“http://speakartanddesign.blogspot.com/2011/04/louise-fili-subway-poster-is-historical.html]Louise”>SPEAK A&D BLOG: Louise Fili Subway Poster Is Historical, Impactful)</p>

8

<p>sars…I’m going to go out on a limb here and be a little tough with you. Only because I was in a similar position to you at your age and I kind of wish that someone had done the same with me at the time.:</p>

<p>Be careful…your mind is not always your friend. It can unravel you. It can analyze things and tell you very frustrating stories. Yes, the money thing can seem like it is ruling our lives…but there is something in us that is stronger and more powerful than it appears like financially on the outside. You mention support. That is really the root of it. When you don’t have it…financially, emotionally, spiritually…just the feeling that someone is rooting for you… it can be very hard. There is pain but be careful of letting that pain, sadness, grief pull you down.</p>

<p>You’ve got to get a little punk rock about this. DIY, own your life. Don’t let the friggin $ rule you. Not having tons of it can actually make you razor sharp because you practice living on the edge. Security is an illusion anyway. We really all live on that edge…that is the hard truth. Being alive is an edgy thing.</p>

<p>You gave a great image of climbing a mountain. So remember how you do that…you don’t look back and you don’t look too far ahead. Just far ahead enough to know where to put your foot so you don’t trip, where is the next solid surface, the tree branch you can grab onto. You take in the the beauty of the nature around you. The ancient rocks, sound of running water, wildflowers, minute details, wind moving through branches. Your senses wake up. </p>

<p>Every little step adds up. You don’t know what a small action or decision can turn into. All great things start small. Have patience. Stay present.</p>

<p>Bears said it above. You are YOUNG!!! So much more valuable than money. You are ALIVE!!! Take this existence and ring the life out of it.</p>

<p>It is only with hindsight that I can see how many opportunities have been presented to me along the way. Many of them I did not appreciate, recognize or act upon because I was too busy looking at what was wrong with me and my life. Too busy seeing the glass as half full. Don’t make the same mistake. It will waste your time, waste your years.</p>

<p>My last thing is… start to trust your gut more. When it comes time to make decisions…listen to your belly…it will tell you yes or no. Be careful of the scripts, believes, doubts that can run you in circles. You have an inner guidance system. Making a good relationship with it will help you with all of the questions and concerns you are posting here. May the force be with you.</p>

9

<p>one more thing…you should know that just by posting here you’ve got at least 10 moms rooting for you. Let that be your secret weapon. You really can top the power of that many hovering moms coming together. You’ve arrived at a very special place they don’t tell you about in the guide books.</p>

10

<p>drae:
In your post: join an artists collective, take a small studio space in an artist run building…in other words get yourself around other artists so that you have support and community to keep yourself going.
Can you talk more detail about this? Maybe this is something my D should do later? I may worry too much, she just finished the first year in college and still have three year to go.</p>

11

<p>hey love…your daughter is in such an intensely focused environment that I would not worry about her too much. It is really as if she has joined a monastery. She will be living, breathing, eating art for the next three years. When she gets out she will either know exactly what she needs to do to continue on the art path or she will decide to go become an engineer or business woman :)</p>

12

<p>Love - drae is right, not to worry. A “friend” of my H (and I use the term loosely), refused to let her take a watercolor class she was teaching. First she said she had to be 18, and when she told her she WAS 18, then the woman said “Oh, you have to be out of high school” - she was a senior at the time. Altho I may be a bit prejudiced, this woman’s work is no prize. My guess is that many of our 1st yr students stuff is better. We can’t figure out why she refused to have my D in the class, other than jealousy. </p>

<p>Before MCAD, D was spending Saturdays at the local artists guild, mostly adults (and not the above mentioned artist), with a few college kids during the summer. They were very supportive and encouraging, and she honed her figure drawing skills. Classes given by local artists were during the day and since she has no transportation, was impossible to take advantage of. She hasn’t talked about going in, but I think at some point she will. She knows they will welcome her at any time. Right now she is just chilling and I don’t worry about it - IMHO, most art kids work much harder than normal college kids.</p>

13

<p>Thanks to drae and redbug. My D should be fine on her own. It is me, worry too much.</p>

14

<p>come back to launch thread, Tiger mom, LOL
do you remember the Space program Wheaty posted, that MWS foundation does?
they’d be done BFA or even masters before worrying about those thing.
and there are many more such programs in different caliber all over the world, including ones not yet materialized.
who knows, in few years economy could be better or some famous artist dies with tons of money or some more, new foundations or non-profit pops up for more opportunities for our kids…
(forward thinking! don’t be a downer! be positive, yes yes yes)</p>

15

<p>OP
here is one Minneapolis sucsess story from today’s news
took 35 years after MCAD BFA, must have been ups and downs.
<a href=“http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=48002[/url]”>http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=48002&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;