What to do with a degree in fine art
May 23, 2010 by admin
Filed under Career News and Advice
It’s often said that one must suffer for one’s art and, for aspiring artists, a spell of pennilessness after graduating has historically been de rigueur. This is as true today as ever, shown not only by the fact that 10.7% of 2008 fine art graduates were unemployed after leaving university (see graphic), but also by the high proportion listing catering or retail work as their primary occupation.
On the bright side, in between the waiting shifts you’ll have plenty of time to polish your artistic skills and cultivate a brooding sense of existential angst. Just remember to take the long view; while arts funding will be scarce in the coming years, recessions have historically allowed creativity to flourish, as fine art graduates of the late 80s and early 90s, such as Damien Hirst (pictured) showed.
What skills have you gained?
First and foremost you should have begun accumulating a hefty portfolio of work with which to showcase your technical and creative talents. The theoretical side of your degree should enable you to put your work into proper context, explaining your influences, the reasoning behind your choice of subjects and why you used certain materials.
Art is often a solitary pursuit so you should also have a good idea of how to motivate yourself and research ideas, materials and equipment…
Read the original article at Guardian