Sunday, January 22, 2012 # 12:08 PM
Careers in the Arts
The painter, Van Gogh, only sold one painting during his lifetime. It is frustrating to have a drive and passion for creating art and to have to starve to do it. The phrase, 'starving artist', is a harsh reality for many. But still thousands of young people are making their plans to attend college or graduate school in the fall with a major in either the performing or visual arts. Why?
I have a seventeen-year-old son, so the discussion of 'what are you going to do after you graduate?' has come up often over the past several months. He's a good student, so we have no doubt that no matter what career he chooses, he will probably do well. The question is where is his passion and will that correspond with something that actually makes money? Recent articles have discussed how dismal the earnings prospects are for some careers that one would think were reliable. Examples are Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, & Architecture. A recent article listed ten college degrees that result in the worst paying positions (link for complete article) . Unfortunately, one of them is our daughter's chosen career, culinary arts and hospitality management.
Some people can find fulfillment in any career - if they are earning enough money. Some people can't. Our daughter has found her passion in cooking and the mix of creativity, physical challenges, and stress (yes, some of us enjoy a little of that in our jobs) that comes with this field. I fought my passion for the arts for several years, convinced that there was no way I could earn a living. Since, I could neither rely on my good looks or my parents for economic survival, that was important. In the end, the compulsion, passion, insanity, or whatever you want to call it that kept bringing me back to a life in the arts won out. I got my degree in visual arts and earned my living in on or another field of the arts ever since. Before I married at age 34, I supported myself comfortably, traveled, and had a pretty good life. I've had a good one since I'm married, too, but the point I'm trying to make is that there is work and a life for you in the arts if you are resourceful, not afraid to market yourself, and willing to accept that you may just be comfortable and never be rich. If that is where your passion is, don't be afraid to pursue it.Labels: art education, arts career, employment in the arts, survival, van gogh
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