What About Art School?

I love this journal layout, and to think it was one of those "on the couch watching tv" things. When away from the desk (by about five feet *snort*), water-soluble crayons and a waterbrush come in handy.

Raindrops.

Seriously, this is a very sad year for tomato plants. I am jealous of other bloggers who have beautiful sun-lit photography haha! None of that over here, that's for sure.



Thinking about art school. Would I go back? Would I recommend it?

Yes, if you have money. No, if you don't.

I actually didn't go to any fancy school. We have a few in this area and they are very expensive. I went to a community college (with an identity crisis... it was a college/uni when I went and now it's a polytechnic - can you guess which???), and it was mostly studio classes with the hopes I would be inspired.

Well, I wasn't. And studio classes didn't teach anything. It was more of a weekly critique group that cost a bunch of money.  Colour theory was awesome, photoshop class was alright (though I still don't understand layer masks so maybe it wasn't), and I thought the art business course was good until I started putting it into practice.

Maybe it was just a crummy school. Maybe it's because of this.



But do I regret trying? Heck no, because anything fun is worth doing, and even though I spent a ton of money to drag canvases around on the public transportation system, I did not go into debt for it. I worked full time and painted late into the evenings so that I could pay rent and take the classes I wanted.


I would not go into debt for this.



Perhaps I started to feel this way the first year after high school when my mum handed be a stack of papers relating to graphic design/illustration. It outlined entry level jobs such as "gopher" which was just someone who made coffee and filed papers. From there, a person would schmooze and work up to their ideal position. It really was about who you know, and getting work experience. Trying to get my first job (any) was a wake up call to reality. 

I am completely disillusioned about post-secondary education, apart from the super specialized like medicine or law. For freelance, I don't think a BFA is worth a loan. But it does look good, and it probably feels good, and it lets you charge higher wages.

It is tantalizing and I can see myself trying for it some day, maybe when I'm elderly. But hopefully when I can pay for it out of pocket.

What do you think? Do you think an arts degree is worth the money?