I’ve been accepted to Bard, class of 2021. I’m concerned attending Bard College won’t be productive for finding a career once I graduate. The schools is kind of located in the middle of no where, is there any practical chance that I could find an internship while I’m studying there? I want to be able to develop professional connections while I’m in school. If it helps I’m studying art and am interested in becoming a tattoo artist.
Also, how difficult is it to find things to do around there? I don’t want to feel trapped or like I’m in a bubble, I won’t have a car my freshman year.
Thanks for your help!!
I am a recent graduate of Bard’s art program and a graphic designer. In terms of art internship, many center around New York City which is a one and a half hour train ride away. Many of the students are from or move there so expect your connections to be made there (you’re probably better off going to school nearby if this is where you want to end up). When I was there art graduates tended to move to Hudson, and rent studios to pursue being artists. You will find photography, advertising, studio and web design internships through Bard’s CDO. Also there are ways to become an artist’s assistant (CDO connected and also the professor Jeff Gibson’s studio). Why are you pursuing school? Are you sure a liberal arts degree at bachelor level is necessary when tattoo artists do not need any education? I have met tattoo artists who started being taught by a friend, and practicing on others and pig skin, until they got so good they ran a shop out of their home, offering to give people tattoos at no cost (all would tip big, maybe 80-100) for a few years until getting hired at a tattoo studio. Tattooists draw with tracing paper and transfer these drafted designs unto paper to achieve precise line work. From them (not Bard student) I have heard of a tattoo apprenticeship in Westchester county.
The area is very isolated and rural and you definitely will feel trapped in a bubble. There’s a lot of value in going to school somewhere you want to stay once you graduate, and being able to walk around and therefore make more connections with more social time. There is a small town with restaurants, a bowling alley and terrible movie theater 5 minute drive away (Red Hook). Lake to swim in ten minutes away (Elizaville). Two waterfalls and a trail on campus. No frats so house parties and hanging out in dorms are typical. Shuttles take students to off campus towns for these and also just throughout the day. Do you draw realistically or abstract? It is important you look at professors work to see if this the right program for you. I had a lot of problem first coming to Bard with professors disliking my style because of incompatibility. Art school had seemed too focused for me when I was applying but I kind of regret that now as someone who needs to use art skills for my graphic design job everyday (Bard has no design department). I wanted a knowledge from a wide array of subjects but you should consider focusing on specializing. Going to school for an only vaguely related subject did help me get to my goal today, but I think I lucked out and the learning curve was steep. Just remember your portfolio and skills are the most important thing (not finishing school/a degree or grades)
So the only non photography related art internship is the assistantship through Jeff Gibson… I suggest staying away from small town schools like this if you want to find more internship opportunities and again go where you want to live after school. Good art programs in the northeast are Yale, Columbia, RISD, SVA, Pratt, Parsons, and MassArt. I also recommend the Artists League in NYC if you want a cheaper way to build a drawing portfolio. You should be focusing on getting a tattoo apprenticeship rather than paying up to 70k a year for a degree. The liberal arts curriculum will make you very well rounded and educated individual but specialization in art is key. To get the most of your degree and have a backup career in teaching the arts you need to learn drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture and design and once you graduate get a temporary license while you pursue more education. If you end up more interested in design it may be useful to also learn some computer science, psychology, film and photography in addition to a design curriculum.
Hey thanks for your response, I’m glad someone with such a seemingly informed perspective responded to my question.
I agree with what you said about not needing a liberal arts degree to be a tattoo artist and that I should perhaps find a school closer to where I want to live after college. I should clarify my situation; my family really wants me to go to college and Bard is offering me the most generous financial aid out of the schools I applied to. Sure, it’s not free, but it’s surely less expensive than SVA or Pratt would be (I’ve heard absolute nightmare scenarios about their financial aid)
I know Bard isn’t the most practical choice but, after being asked to pay over half of my family income a year at the other schools I applied to, I’m just working with what I’ve got. I am interested in other liberal arts studies as well, such as anthropology, psychology, and philosophy; if I’m going to end up paying thousands of dollars a year anyway, I might as well use it to be able to study the other things I’m interested in (but I know, I know, specialization is key).
If you wouldn’t mind, would you be able to tell me what employment is like for students studying there? I don’t mean career oriented or anything, just like part time jobs people can take up while they’re in school, since I can’t imagine there being an abundance of jobs in the area.
Thank you for the advice, I’ll definitely look up the art professors.
@OctoberSunshine There are plenty of jobs both on and off campus, finding employment while you’re here will be the least of your worries.
It’s finding a job after you graduate that the real fun starts 
What does the transportation to Manhattan cost? MetroNorth is far from campus and the alternative is Amtrak?
Is there uber/lyft to get to / from train
@ClarinetDad16 students find ways to get to the train - there are free Bard shuttles on the weekends and there is a public bus, as well. In addition, Bard has ZipCar and friends have cars. Metro North is definitely cheaper than Amtrak, which is closer. My son sometimes went to NYC multiple times a week for rehearsals and concerts because of his particular career - and eventually he had a car.
As for the OP - can’t imagine why they applied to SDSU as an out of state applicant - IMHO it’s not worth the out of state tuition - unless the art department is particularly good? I suspect the draw is San Diego itself? Which could be a good area for tattoo artists, I guess. Especially with its Navy past :).
It sounds like @OctoberSunshine would prefer to be in a warm urban area, rather than the Hudson Valley. Are there any other choices besides SDSU and Bard?
Bard and San Diego are my cheapest options right now - my HS guidance counselor has connections in San Diego and insists that their art program has a good reputation out there and it made the US News Top 100 Art School List. I applied there because, even though the OOS have a higher tuition, $39000 a year for a state school is less than $60000+ for a private school. Although, I can’t say SDSU is worth $39000.
I live an hour from NYC, so I’m used to the upper east coast weather and how not warm it is lol. It’s not as big of an adventure as crossing the country for school but, the Hudson area does seem really nice.
One thing about the State Universities in California as opposed to the University of California system is they’re much more pre-professional and trade oriented and less theoretical. For instance, I see that SDSU offers an Applied Design degree with a focus on woodworking. That’s going to be very different than the art department in a school like Bard. Since you want to do tattoo art - you’re probably better off in a school which offers practical courses in graphic design, illustration, etc. If $39,000 is less than you would have paid to go to an Art School, then it might make sense to go to SDSU. Happy to hear it has a good art program - I live in CA but had no idea. I don’t hear much about SDSU in Northern California. We’re in another world 
So would you say Bard’s art program is more theoretical then? I know I said tattoo artist, because I can easily see myself pursuing that, but in part I think that decision is influenced by my lack of experience, as I’ve only seen the internet’s interpretation of what it’s like to be a professional artist. I’m open to other artistic avenues - practical or theoretical.
By the way @SpiritManager , I’ve seen your posts through out the Bard forum! Thank you for being so informative!
Bard’s art program is focused more on the art world than the commercial world - does that make sense? Illustration, graphic design, tattoos, animation - they’re more commercial oriented - towards products for commerce, rather than for galleries. This does not mean that getting a solid grounding in both traditional and avant-garde art will not give you a helpful background for more commercial pursuits. But as @Alumna2015 said when you’re creating art for hire there are often different skills required.
Oh okay, thank you, I think I understand. I’m visiting Bard next Saturday, let’s hope it goes well!
@OctoberSunshine - any chance you can visit SDSU, as well? The two schools are wildly different in almost every way.
Well, I wouldn’t be able to visit SDSU before May 1st when decisions are due. Honestly, I’m having a difficult time justifying the cost for SDSU - I just got an email this morning saying that they raised the fees by a few hundred dollars -_-.
I’ll most likely attend Bard; I won’t make any decisions untill I visit but, from the impressions I get online, I think I’d fit in there. It’s location is my main concern, I honestly like woodsy / nature-ish places, I just always pictured myself going to school in the city. I’ll just have to make the journey to NYC every once and a while, I don’t think it’ll be too bad.