By Kristi Hargrove, Assistant Professor of Fine Arts
Watkins College of Art, Design & Film

When spring arrives in Nashville, Tennessee, the gallery at Watkins College of Art, Design & Film blooms with senior exhibitions from the fine arts and photography departments. With a reminiscent eye, I watch these seniors deploy their final exhibition and am reminded of conversations over the years that involved frustrations, joys, tears, and amazing discoveries.

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By Katie Berger, Public Relations Manager
New Hampshire Institute of Art

Brett Harvey
After gaining some real-world experience as an assistant preparator at the Currier Museum of Art, Brett Harvey, BFA Painting 2008, entered the MFA program in sculpture at the New York Academy of Art in New York City. The Currier Art Center provided studio space where Harvey spent a year and a half sculpting and painting. "When I got out of work I would walk across the street to the studio and paint or sculpt until about 11 or 12 o'clock, go home, and then wake up and do it all over again, even on weekends. Not only was I trying to prepare for grad school, I was also doing what I felt I needed to do to be a successful artist. We don't get breaks."

During Harvey's sophomore year at the Institute, painting faculty member Marcus Greene introduced him to the New York Academy of Art. "I had a couple of instructors at the Institute that had completed the MFA program and I loved both their teaching styles. That gave me a big clue that this program would work for me," he said. Harvey, a talented figurative artist, recognized that he would benefit from a program that would challenge him in areas that needed development before he could secure gallery representation. Harvey said, "I knew there was a lot more I needed to learn and NYAA gave the intense traditional training as well s freedom to explore conceptual ideas I was looking for."

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By Kate Wyman, a student member of the McNeese Student Art Association
McNeese State University

As a student walks down the hall of a university art department, the open classrooms provide a framed, yet isolated glimpse into the world of each discipline. Bodiless legs and feet peek out from beneath an easel, human forms are blurred by spins of the darkroom door, and clenched back muscles crank the sliding bed of a printing press. The student can recognize the craft that each glimpse provides, but does he recognize that there is a craftsman? Though art departments tout their reliance on individuality, individual students, intent on conceiving projects and reaching deadlines, may devolve into secluded extensions of their medium. They may be recognizable only by the work they produce and not the distinct person whose life has served as unrepeatable inspiration behind the work itself.

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By Joan Milnes, Director, Internships and Career Services
Montserrat College of Art

“If you ever hope to be a credible adult and want a job that pays better than minimum wage, then for God’s sake don’t pierce or tattoo every available piece of flesh. Otherwise, plan your future around saying, “Do you want fries with that?” – George Carlin

Artists and art students are independent thinkers. Their talent for creative expression often reflects the unconventional. Tattoos, body piercing, unusual dress and unnatural hair color sometimes serve as avenues for self-expression.

“The thing we often see missing is the ability to use the right side of the brain, the creative part.” - a VP at Hewlett-Packard, commenting on new hires

Artists and art students are independent thinkers. Their ability to create new ideas is highly valued in today’s “creative economy,” the growing segment of our economy that includes artists, writers, consultants, and researchers. In fact, a recent study of metropolitan Boston shows that the creative economy represents 10 percent to 12 percent of the region’s private sector employment, more than biotech at 2 percent and more than manufacturing at 7 percent!

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By Deborah Zlotsky, Associate Professor of Painting and Drawing
The College of Saint Rose

Preparing an impressive portfolio begins with creating remarkable drawings. Often, what distinguishes a bland drawing from an extraordinary one is the personal perspective of the artist. For each piece that you include in your portfolio, you should be able to describe not only what the work is (what you see when you look at it), but what its meaning is to you. Meaning (your experience of observing something) and your description of it via the language of drawing are essential to making remarkable drawings. When you take time to re- flect on your goals for a particular drawing, you will find yourself more aware of the decisions you make. While “creating” drawings is a way of responding to your observations of the world around you, remember that focusing exclusively on what you see often reduces the drawing to an illustration (a depiction of an image rather than a record of your experience).

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By Mary Wells
Oregon College of Art and Craft

You are planning to go to art school. You are going to be an artist, and you feel confident of your creative ability. In your mind you have a clear understanding of why you create art and what it means to you. It probably seems as though this is enough, but unfortunately for a self-supporting artist in the world today it is not. “What more,” you ask, “Do I need?” The answer is this: You need the ability to express yourself in words.

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By Alan Van Reed, Director of Recruitment
The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University

With more than 25 years of experience working in the profession of art school admissions, I am very much aware of the importance of sharing my knowledge with emerging student artists who are ready to build and present a portfolio in order to gain admission to the art college of their choice.

Please be aware that each professional art college has its own particular requirements for the portfolio. In addition, some art schools will require a media-specific portfolio, such as a photography application.

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By Char Norman, Associate Provost
Columbus College of Art & Design

You wouldn’t buy a pair of jeans with out trying them on, so why choose a college before trying it out? The college decision is one of the most important in a young person’s life. It is an investment in the future and should be made with careful consideration and research into prospective colleges. Interests and abilities coupled with financial considerations drive the selection of colleges. The success of a student’s college experience and ensuing career depend on a good match between student and college.

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By Susan Miller, Dean of Students
Memphis College of Art

Did you know that money is most often the deciding factor in where a student attends college? Often students will not attend their first choice school because they feel they won’t be able to afford it. The truth is that a quality education does cost more. That cost includes not only tuition and fees but also books, supplies, transportation, personal expenses and room and board if you plan to live away from home. The good news is that there are ways to bridge the financial gap to make attending your first-choice college a reality.

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By Tamara Peterson, Associate Professor & Chair of Foundation Studies
Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, Ohio

Fully engaging in your foundation experience is the first critical step you will take towards your life as a professional artist - and becoming a creative citizen. Foundation programs are no longer just priming you for a major geared towards a singular career path, such as graphic designer or gallery artist. The foundation function – academically, culturally, and socially - is expanding rapidly.

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