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Is an art degree necessary for you to be or become an "artist"?

Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 11:05 am
by Ed Cantarella
I was inspired (provoked?) by the the post regarding the James Renwick Alliance's Chrysalis Award. "The artist must have completed a four-year academic program or equivalent training within the past 5 years." Darn, got that computer science degree back in '92! Seemed unduly stuffy to me. IMO a degree doesn't make you an artist any more than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger. :lol:

Re: Is an art degree necessary for you to be or become an "artist"?

Posted: Fri May 11, 2018 4:50 pm
by Don Burt
They're looking for a specific type of artist at a certain point in what is supposed to be an art career (heh). There are other prereq's for this exhibition besides the one you mentioned. I don't think anyone, including the Renwick Alliance would declare that their prereqs are necessary for one to be labeled an artist. However it is widely known that a beret and eyepatch go a long way to cementing the label firmly, allowing you to use pompous French adjectives to describe your technique and aesthetic.

Re: Is an art degree necessary for you to be or become an "artist"?

Posted: Sat May 12, 2018 8:25 am
by Ed Cantarella
Don Burt wrote:They're looking for a specific type of artist at a certain point in what is supposed to be an art career (heh). There are other prereq's for this exhibition besides the one you mentioned. I don't think anyone, including the Renwick Alliance would declare that their prereqs are necessary for one to be labeled an artist. However it is widely known that a beret and eyepatch go a long way to cementing the label firmly, allowing you to use pompous French adjectives to describe your technique and aesthetic.
:lol:

Thank you Don. You know, I wouldn't qualify for other reasons but the (imo) stuffiness of it kind of struck me. I guess they want to breed another generation of this mind set.
*I helped my oldest daughter(27) get a fine arts degree from Columbia in Chicago. She fully supports herself off her art, I see why she has avoided this entire clustering of 'artists'. Thanks to Al Gore's Internet it can be done. :)

Re: Is an art degree necessary for you to be or become an "artist"?

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 11:26 pm
by JestersBaubles
Ed Cantarella wrote: "The artist must have completed a four-year academic program or equivalent training within the past 5 years."
"Or equivalent training." Interpret how you wish and give it your best shot. All they can do is say No.

And regarding your question... someday I may go back and get an art degree (once I am untethered from the day job). We all have gaps in knowledge -- I have big holes when it comes to a lot of the basics like design principle. Not that it will automatically make me a better artist, but it couldn't hurt.

:mrgreen: Dana W.

Re: Is an art degree necessary for you to be or become an "artist"?

Posted: Thu May 17, 2018 9:05 am
by Judd
Art degrees aren't necessary for anything unless you plan to do education.
If you can make Cool, you can be successful at selling art.

Re: Is an art degree necessary for you to be or become an "artist"?

Posted: Thu May 17, 2018 10:19 am
by Ed Cantarella
Judd wrote:Art degrees aren't necessary for anything unless you plan to do education.
If you can make Cool, you can be successful at selling art.
Yeha, I worked for an sculptor and artist guy that probably has made several million over his lifetime, no art degree, not famous. www.richardmiller.com

Re: Is an art degree necessary for you to be or become an "artist"?

Posted: Fri May 18, 2018 10:51 am
by Barry Kaiser
Unfortunately, in this day and age, a marketing degree is far more important than an art degree in determining the financial success of an artist.

Re: Is an art degree necessary for you to be or become an "artist"?

Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 9:56 am
by Ed Cantarella
Barry Kaiser wrote:Unfortunately, in this day and age, a marketing degree is far more important than an art degree in determining the financial success of an artist.
Absolutely. A Blog, a Patreon* and a store are pretty much bare requirements today.

*I think Patreon is a great concept but so many don't understand they have to give something to get something.