Those who try to discourage us

[Terri Ficenec]

As a kid, my parents encouraged my interest in art by sending me to painting lessons, etc. ... but when it came to college, they absolutely refused to allow me to major in art (they weren't going to pay for me to become a 'starving artist'). I bought into that outlook, I guess. So I majored in Biology, and took a lot of arts electives. But after college I got married, got my MBA, and worked in business for 17 years, without ever lifting a paint brush except for 2 quick watercolors to put something on the walls back when we bought our first house.

In 2001, a new neighbor in town heard that I was an 'artist' (from a mutual friend, referring to those two watercolors and some drawings)... and on blind faith she commissioned me to do a reproduction of Cezanne's basket of apples. That led to a reproduction of Van Gogh's Irises for someone else. After that I refused to do anymore reproductions, but was back into painting as a hobby. It was those people around me who encouraged what I wanted to do and believed in me that got me started painting again -- and together with this forum, gave me the courage/confidence to turn professional last summer.

The funniest thing is that my parents, (who were the biggest obstacle to my thinking this was something I could do for a living when I was younger), couldn't be prouder and are my biggest cheerleaders now.

[Heidi Maiers]

There seems to be a common theme emerging here.

Since it is graduation time, here are some thoughts we can ponder. Perhaps our insight can help young art students who are at a cross road and struggling with decisions for their futures.

Question: Do you have a formal education in art?


If you answer Yes then,

- did you receive support for this decision from friends, family, etc., or did you pursue it in spite of a lack of support?

- are you making a decent living as an artist?

- do you work a full time job in another field and do your art on the side?

- do you now regret pursuing an art education rather than taking what others deemed the "safe " career path?

- do you think your skills are now more advanced than they would have been had you not pursued a formal education?

- have there been any instances in your career where having a degree in art has directly benefited you (e.g., gotten you a posh commission, gotten you into a high caliber show or gallery, etc.) that you wouldn't have had the opportunity otherwise? Along those same lines, has having a degree directly helped you sell a piece of work?

- do you rely on your spouse for the majority of your financial support? If so, has that diminished your sense of self worth?


If you answered No then,

- did you want to pursue a formal education in art but succumbed to pressured against it?

- do you regret not pursuing a formal art education?

- are you working in the field for which you majored?

- did you not have a desire to pursue art as a career, but developed it later in life?

- did you not have the financial means to go to college at all?

- do you plan on going back to school?

- do you now attend artist workshops to make up for what you feel you missed out on in school?

- do you think a formal art education is somewhat worthless and everything you need to know to succeed can be gained by practical experience, practice, and networking with other artists?

Perhaps someone could set up a poll..

[Julie Deane]

Interesting to see what the survey will show. Here's my contribution:

I went to art school, but limiting myself by my own insecurities, majored in graphic design instead of fine art. The good thing is that Ringling School of Art insisted on many drawing and painting classes, so I got a good foundation in the basics.

I became a graphic artist and worked in that field thirteen years. Taught a few art classes too.

To any people out there considering art school - it's great for learning a lot in a little time. Just make sure the school emphasizes drawing skills.

[Julie Deane]

Oops - didn't answer all the questions.

- did you receive support for this decision from friends, family, etc., or did you pursue it in spite of a lack of support? My parents made sure I had art classes from age 8 on. They were a "mixed" support - very little verbal support, but the finances were there to help me.

- are you making a decent living as an artist? No

- do you work a full time job in another field and do your art on the side? I am a full time speech therapist, and am pursuing portraiture/painting on the side - for now.

- do you now regret pursuing an art education rather than taking what others deemed the "safe " career path? No - I only wish I had dived into fine art.

- do you think your skills are now more advanced than they would have been had you not pursued a formal education? Yes.

- have there been any instances in your career where having a degree in art has directly benefited you (e.g., gotten you a posh commission, gotten you into a high caliber show or gallery, etc.) that you wouldn't have had the opportunity otherwise? Along those same lines, has having a degree directly helped you sell a piece of work? No - I really don't think a degree would matter for anything but teaching credentials.

- do you rely on your spouse for the majority of your financial support?
I wish! Nope, divorced and paying my own way.

[Heidi Maiers]

Feel free to verbalize your responses to the above survey here. There are now two polls available in this section entitled "The value of a formal art education" that you can answer so that we can view the answers statistically as a group percentage.
http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=4447
http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=4448

[Chuck Yokota]

While I had some interest in art when I was young, I had no interest in pursuing a formal art education or in pursuing art as a career. There were several majors I would have selected ahead of art. No one discouraged me about studying art; I just had other interests ahead of it.

I got my bachelor's degree in chemistry, and over the years I've gotten two master's degrees in other fields. I wound up working for most of my career in engineering, and worked as an engineer for 15 years before ever taking an engineering class.

For many years, the only art I did was some pencil drawings. I had not painted since painting with poster paints in high school. A friend of mine encouraged me to try painting, and in February of last year I painted my first oil painting. I found that I liked it a lot, and am now seriously interested in becoming a professional portrait painter.

I do not regret working in other fields, as I found them interesting and rewarding, and they satisfied other interests that I have had. For me, art and other fields are not an either/or, but rather a both/and situation; i.e. I want it all.

[Michele Rushworth]

Ah, a true Renaissance man!

[Jean Kelly]

Well, this brings up some very nasty memories, and maybe it's time to write them down. My story may benefit someone else in a similar situation.

I was a big fish in a small pond, won every art award available and made all my plans to attend the Art Institute of Chicago. There seemed to be no problem as far as my father was concerned. Unfortunately I was unaware that my goal in life was to become a corporate wife, and my father had trained me well. I could mix a perfect martini by the time I was 15. When the time came to solidify and submit to the Art Institute I was told NO, and I rebelled. Left home and supported myself and attended a small community college. I tried to get scholarships or loans, but was told that my father made too much money and since I was under 21 was still technically under his big umbrella. I tried to get emanicipated and again my father refused to sign any papers stating that I was self-supporting. I finally gave up on any art schooling, had to make enough money to live, but I never went back to my father. Some day I may forgive him, but not yet. When he died many years ago I gave him a private send off.

I've done many other things since then, but have never been a corporate wife. I've missed the art so badly, and now am so glad to be back to it. My current husband supports me totally and is my angel on my shoulder. When I started back painting three years ago I never thought I would come so far so fast, and I credit this forum for it all.

It's possible that my life experiences have made me a better artist, but sometimes I really wish that I had been able to find a way to incorporate formal art more into my life. When looking back I do realize that I was compelled to be creative though, and it sometimes got me in trouble (I could write a book)!

For anyone else who is in a similar situation I say, find a way to fight for what you need to do, and if you get roadblocks charge through them.

Recently I saw my stepmother and showed her my portfolio, she started crying and stated, "Your father would be so proud, and your mother too." This was the first time she ever made any reference to my mother (she died when I was 15 after a long illness). That felt really good.

Jean

[Matthew Severson]

I feel incredibly spoiled after reading some of the posts in this thread. I have chosen art as my future career since I was 8 years old, and my parents have backed me up %100 - They even beg to pay for my art supplies.

If suffering is a requirement of becoming a great artist, I don't have a chance.

M.

[Allan Rahbek]

Hi,
I do not know which form to fill in, because I actually went to a bigger Academy for almost two years where I had some valuable training in drawing from live and plaster, as well as in sculpture.

But my main interest was painting in oils and I do not feel that I got any valuable input or challenges in that field. What I have achieved, I did on my own, by studying old masters, landscapes and portraits.

I feel that I did not get any degree in traditional painting because that the trend at that time ( 1970 - 71 ) was to sit down and watch the grass grow. Nobody dared to expect anything from you. So eventually I gave it all up.

Nowadays it is different, though it is still regarded "Finer Art" if combined with aerobic.

Traditional portraiture, and waltzing, is still a niche, but we will see what we can do.


Allan