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art degree

updated fri 3 mar 00

 

Holly Smith on fri 25 feb 00

------------------
Would everyone who would like to please shed some light on as to what the
advantages of having a degree art are as opposed to not having one. Are =
you
able to teach without one? What other things can't be done without one?


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F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F
Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at
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Jim Bozeman on sat 26 feb 00

>Would everyone who would like to please shed some light on as to what the
>advantages of having a degree art are as opposed to not having one. Are
>you
>able to teach without one? What other things can't be done without one?


Holly, I can only speak from my own personal experiences, but having an art
degree hasn't opened a single door for me in life as far as I know. In fact,
I feel like it has hindered me. I have a B.F.A. degree in ceramics and
almost all of the people I know that have M.F.A. degree's seem to look at my
work with total contempt. I find it amusing though because almost all of
them have to support themselves with a "real job" and sell their work to
suppliment their income. I make my living off the sale of my ceramic work
and teach ceramics on the side mostly for fun. I would say to use the money
you would other wise spend on an Art degree and use it to build a ceramic
studio for yourself. Just my 2 cents worth...... Jim Bozeman


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Earl Brunner on sat 26 feb 00

------------------
Definitly depends on what you want to do. I have a BFA in
Ceramics and
it gets me nothing. I can't teach in a public school
setting, at least
not very many of them. I do teach part time in the
community art center
programs in our city. But I could do that without the
degree. MFA will
let you teach college, Junior College level (if you can find
a job)
Otherwise you would need additional coursework in general
education and
in teaching in order to teach, depending on the licensure
requirements
in your community. Private lessons, producing potter, run
studio etc.
your work will really speak for itself.

Holly Smith wrote:
=3E
=3E ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
=3E ------------------
=3E Would everyone who would like to please shed some light on as to what =
the
=3E advantages of having a degree art are as opposed to not having one. =
Are you
=3E able to teach without one? What other things can't be done without one?
=3E
=3E =
=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F==
FF
=3E =
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F
=3E F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F
=3E Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at
=3E http://webmail.netscape.com.

--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec=40anv.net

NakedClay@aol.com on sat 26 feb 00

In a message dated 2/25/00 2:50:14 PM Pacific Standard Time, Holly writes:

> -----------------
> Would everyone who would like to please shed some light on as to what the
> advantages of having a degree art are as opposed to not having one. Are =
> you
> able to teach without one? What other things can't be done without one?
------------------------------------------
Art Degrees (I assume you mean Master's Degrees) are not necessary, to be an
artist, to teach art, or to appreciate art. Many folks attend classes and
graduate with sheepskins, and may be better off, due to the applied
atmosphere a college environment provides. If you want to teach in a public
school, yes, get a Master's Degree, since most states now require this.

I chose to get my ceramics education at a community college. As an advanced
student at the college, I volunteered to help teach beginners hand-build with
clay. I did this for two years, after I took all the ceramics classes, so
that I could also use the facilities. That was an uplifting experience for
me. Many of the potters and artists on this list either took this or another
road, while others went for the higher degree. In the end, it's up to the
prospective student, and how much money one wants to spend--Master's degrees
don't come cheap!

In the long run, it matters not, whether one is Degreed or not. One's art,
ones experience, and the wisdom gleaned from other potters and artists is by
far the best education, which is something money can't buy.


Best wishes!

Milton NakedClay@AOL.COM

Cold, Windy, and Shakey (3.5 earthquake) Yucca Valley, CA

Herb Moses on sat 26 feb 00

I don't have a degree in art, yet I make a living at it and run a small,
soon to be successful pottery studio. I have never taken a college art
course. I learned everything on the streets. More than occassionally some
yahoo comes into the store and says "Oh, your work is reminiscent of the
octeenth century swamp dynasty work." or "Is this a Chinese sang de beouf?"
I wish I knew more about art history.

But I have always been a little cranky. To my friends who never seem
satisfied unless they thoroughly critique a piece, I say that I think I
should be able to say "I like it." or "It is pretty," and that is statement
enough. I have never had a desire for deep analysis of art, movies, or
literature. I make beautiful (mostly) functional pottery and teach others
to do the same. I am a good supportive teacher, nondogmatic, and try to
take my students to the place they want to be.

I have an undergraduate degree in agricultural economics and agricultural
journalism, and an MBA. About the only thing I wish I had was teaching
credentials so I could teach in the public schools if I choose to.

I think I was just not an art school type of guy.

Good luck and email me if you want some more opinions.

Herb Moses (in rainy Palm Springs)

herb@usapottery.com


http://www.usapottery.com
Palm Springs Pottery
198 S. Indian Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
----- Original Message -----
From: Holly Smith
To:
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2000 2:49 PM
Subject: art degree


> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> ------------------
> Would everyone who would like to please shed some light on as to what the
> advantages of having a degree art are as opposed to not having one. Are
you
> able to teach without one? What other things can't be done without one?
>
>
> _________________________5F________________________
> F_________________
> Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at
> http://webmail.netscape.com.
>

vince pitelka on sat 26 feb 00

> Would everyone who would like to please shed some light on as to what the
> advantages of having a degree art are as opposed to not having one. Are
> you able to teach without one? What other things can't be done without
> one?

It is hard to make generalizations about this, except that education is
never a bad idea. Traditionally, education had more to do with life
enrichment than with career training. Of course, traditionally, only the
privileged benefited from education.

I think that a well rounded education, whether it comes from living life, or
from the completion of a BA, BS, or BFA degree, gives one the context to
make informed choices in life. Education is a way of cramming a lot of
experience into a short period of time, assuming that the student pursues
education in a responsibly proactive fashion.

Specifically regarding a BFA in art, the range of courses in drawing, art
history, two and three-dimensional design, and other media really do help
out a lot in your own specific media. The more experience you have in a
broad range of media, the more flexibility you have in your own media, and
the more willingness to take chances and try new things.

The time and expense required to complete an undergraduate degree are but a
drop in the bucket when one considers all the advantages. But above all, if
you decide to go for a degree, find a place appropriate for your needs, and
then be the boss of your own education. Maintain very high standards for
yourself and for others.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Home - vpitelka@dekalb.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166

Linda Fletcher on sat 26 feb 00

Holly, I am a person teaching without a degree. I teach pottery at a private
high school. At the same time I am attending college to earn my BFA with a
concentration in ceramics. Why? Practically speaking -at any time a new
administration at my high school could require that all the teachers be
certified. Can't even start that process without a degree. Personally
speaking - I am expanding my view of how I create art, of how I teach my
students, of how I percieve the world.
There is also the factor of a little knowledge being dangerous. How much do
you know about the health risks involved in creating art? Could you impart
accurate information to your students? You would not believe the myths,
passed off as fact,
that I was told in my early years as a student of "under-educated"
instructors.
There is an undiscovered world out there. Being a student is a wonderful
adventure!
LAF
----- Original Message -----
From: Holly Smith
To:
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2000 5:49 PM
Subject: art degree


> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> ------------------
> Would everyone who would like to please shed some light on as to what the
> advantages of having a degree art are as opposed to not having one. Are
you
> able to teach without one? What other things can't be done without one?
>
>
> _________________________5F________________________
> F_________________
> Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at
> http://webmail.netscape.com.
>

ferenc jakab on sun 27 feb 00

I have a Diploma in Fine Art, which is about mid way between your BFA and
MFA. The year I started the diploma the course was reduced from 5 years to 3
years . The year I finished the course was changed to a 4 year Bachelor's
degree. A couple of years ago this was reduced to a three year degree. I
really don't give a damn about the pieces of paper. I have peers who went
through apprenticeships or are self educated. It was the easy access to
knowledge and the support of peers and experienced teachers that I really
appreciated. What I really wish was that I had started my course a year
earlier and completed the 5 year course.
Of course I have never had a desire to teach.
Feri

vince pitelka on sun 27 feb 00

> I would say to use the money
> you would other wise spend on an Art degree and use it to build a ceramic
> studio for yourself. Just my 2 cents worth...... Jim Bozeman

Jim -
This does a real disservice to anyone seriously considering higher
education in art. What made you so bitter about the value of higher
education? You say that your BFA has not done a single thing for you, and
yet you are making a living off your pottery? Was the BFA degree entirely
superfluous? Didn't it enrich your life? Didn't it broaden your horizons?
If so, please admit
it, and do your best to tell other people that it can do the same for them.
If it did not enrich your life or broaden your horizons, then you wasted a
hell of a good opportunity, and that is your loss.

As I said before, higher education offers the individual an opportunity to
cram a great deal of learning and experience into a short period of time.
What you make of the opportunity is up to you. Both the BFA and MFA degrees
open up a world of possibilities. The teaching may not be abundant, but
they are out there for anyone willing to go to the necessary lengths to
pursue them.

Sorry if the above seems at all harsh or abrupt, but I get pretty tired of
hearing people slamming higher education just becaue their own experience
did not meet their expectations. You are responsible for your own destiny.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Home - vpitelka@dekalb.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166

Robert Marshall Simpson on sun 27 feb 00

Holly--- I have a BS with a major in art from the U of Wisconsin,1967!.
Don't think it matters much---BS,. BA, or BFA. But---having the degree
allows you to get into the job market the same as an English major,
sociology, poli sci, etc. Without an internship or a specialized degree like
teaching or nursing the degree part seems to open the same doors with the
same pay scale (above what a non-degree employee gets). I think that a
masters degree opens doors to teaching without taking the education courses
required for the lesser degree. I got jobs in medical research because I
had dark room-photography experience and could work well with small forceps
(jewelry). Got paid on a better scale than non degree employees. While in
school I had the fortune to have Don Reitz for ceramics instruction. I
recommend getting a degree in any thing that suits your fancy and than going
on for a masters or PH.D. if you want to teach.
Kayte ---in Oklahoma---but not for long, I hope!

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Bozeman"
To:
Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2000 5:07 PM
Subject: Re: art degree


> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >Would everyone who would like to please shed some light on as to what the
> >advantages of having a degree art are as opposed to not having one. Are
> >you
> >able to teach without one? What other things can't be done without one?
>
>
> Holly, I can only speak from my own personal experiences, but having an
art
> degree hasn't opened a single door for me in life as far as I know. In
fact,
> I feel like it has hindered me. I have a B.F.A. degree in ceramics and
> almost all of the people I know that have M.F.A. degree's seem to look at
my
> work with total contempt. I find it amusing though because almost all of
> them have to support themselves with a "real job" and sell their work to
> suppliment their income. I make my living off the sale of my ceramic work
> and teach ceramics on the side mostly for fun. I would say to use the
money
> you would other wise spend on an Art degree and use it to build a ceramic
> studio for yourself. Just my 2 cents worth...... Jim Bozeman
>
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>

Marcia Selsor on sun 27 feb 00

I heard the director of personnel at General Electric comment on why
that corporation supports Art in Education. He said it was the only
class you ever take where you have to make something from nothing. It
forces you to think. be creative. Of course, there are other venues to
do this according to Maslow's theory of creativity.
As Vince says, an education is a valuable thing. The degree only sums up
a particular direction of all the educational experience.
In this country, the value of an education has diminished compared to
countries in Europe and or the former Soviet Union. There is little
respect for education here and less for teachers.
Marcia Selsor, Professor
Montana State University-Billings
--
Marcia Selsor
selsor@imt.net
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls
http://www.imt.net/~mjbmls/spain99.html
http://www.silverhawk.com/ex99/selsor/welcome.html

martin howard on sun 27 feb 00

When people have worked hard for a degree (it does not matter in what
subject), they use that degree to gain extra position and usually financial
return.
Groups of such people have made rules which then govern society concerning
who has the right to do what.
That is the system. Buck it if you will, but it will react back at you.

For 40 years I worked as a Town Planner, much of it, following 18 years of
study, as a Chartered Town Planner, which gave me advocate status in Courts
and Inquiries.
Now at 60 I have given up that qualification and retired into pottery.
Giving up that qualification was hard. I did not need to give it up. I could
have paid the retired planner's annual fee. But what the heck? I was moving
out of that work and into another much more enjoyable field.

But, I can understand why people who have a high level art degree might try
to lord it over those who have a lesser one or none at all and make rules
about who can teach what, where.
Looking back I must have done and supported the same with my planning
qualification.
It is a natural instinct to pull rank, if you have the rank to pull.
Fortunately, on ClayArt we have wonderfully qualified potters who give of
their time and experience with no such traits of character. That is greatly
appreciated by all and long may it last.

Martin Howard
Webb's Cottage Pottery
Woolpits Road
Great Saling
BRAINTREE
Essex CM7 5DZ
01371 850 423
martin@webbscottage.co.uk
www.webbscottage.co.uk Should be ready for 2000 :-) or 2001

Dana Henson on mon 28 feb 00

This topic is particularly relevant for me at this time as I am winding up my
MFA degree. I am currently working on my thesis show. I thoroughly enjoyed
working on my BFA degree. I love to learn. Being educated formally is an
advantage, just as the hands-on type of education is an advantage. I think
that it is a personal preference and also depends on what one seeks in life.

I don't think that either method of learning should be a target for criticism.
That is like comparing functional to sculptural ceramics. I can do both, but I
prefer sculptural ceramics. I think it is important to avoid slamming any one
system---there are enough people slamming the arts and education as it is. I
believe that any ceramic contribution is of value and potters/ceramists/clay
artists are still facing an uphill battle in terms of being elevated to the
position that they deserve in the art world. But it is happening and everyone
who works in clay, regardless of their area of interest, will benefit---both
intellectually and financially.

Hooray for Clay!
Dana Henson
Denton, TX

friedlover on mon 28 feb 00

------------------
I held back on this one for awhile, but I am emboldened by other's answers. =
I
have a MS in Nursing and taught that awhile back. Like others, mostly I =
learned
in community classes, reading in the library, and in my own studio-trial and
error.
I am exploring the idea of returning to school, because I would love to =
teach
high school, but I think the only Ceramics major masters program in Chicago =
is
the Art Institute and classes are like =241000 each. So I may not get far =
on that
road.
However, I am still having the time of my life exploring my love of pottery,=
and
I do make some =24 at it, althought not more last year than my costs =
(because of
setting up the studio, etc.) I also, from a show, got a position to teach =
an
adult class at a community college, and I'm loving that. So that's my 2 =
cents.
Good luck. Rhonda Fried

Lee Love on mon 28 feb 00


> Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 20:19:46 EST
> From: vince pitelka

<...>
> Sorry if the above seems at all harsh or abrupt, but I get pretty tired of
> hearing people slamming higher education just becaue their own experience
> did not meet their expectations. You are responsible for your own
destiny.


Hi Vince & All,

I don't intend to slam "higher" education. I think what you do
depends upon what your goals are. I am a strong supporter of a liberal
education. But, I've heard apprenticeships slammed here on more than one
occasion by teachers of "higher" education, so no camp is sinless on this
count. ;^)

I'm pretty old to be a deshi/apprentice, being 46, but I am
finding it very rewarding. For one thing, you are not just being taught
skills or technique: you are taught as a whole person. Here in Japan, the
apprenticeship system is very much influenced by Buddhism and Zen. Zen
aesthetics are very much a part of Mingei and Yanagi's philosophy.

Every morning (except Sunday and national holidays), at 7:30AM,
my day starts at the pottery, by sweeping the stone walks and cleaning up
the garden.

Today, my Sempai (senior student) and I helped our Sensei (teacher)
move some furniture, remove a label from a glass table top and cleaned the
fingerprints off of the same glass. The other day, we took down posters in
the entry way and put up new ones for the Onta show at the Messe and the new
show at the Mingeikan. Being a Deshi, you aren't just a student, but you
are in many ways, adopted into a family. It is not fragmented like the
University is, but is very whole.

Higher education has its place. I see the main hazard in
institutionalizing craft is the over intellectualizing of it. But, if you
are aware of this problem, you can take steps to avoid it.

--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan Ikiru@kami.com

the Gallaghers on mon 28 feb 00


-----Original Message-----
From: Marcia Selsor

>In this country, the value of an education has diminished compared to
>countries in Europe and or the former Soviet Union. There is little
>respect for education here and less for teachers.


This is the extremely sad and entirely true state of education in this
country. It is also one of the things that has ruined our credability with
the worlds population. In developing countries we are admired, and often
emulated, but this is only because of the wealth in this country. Even in
the poorest of countries education is valued more than it is here. In the
more industrialized and advanced countries where we should be on equal
footing educationally, we are laughed at.
My daughter had a friend in high school who was visiting the states on an
exchange program from Germany. They do not count the year students spend
here towards their educational degree, the students must make up the year
when they return. What does that say about their opinion of our schools???

Michelle in Oregon

Curt Lacross on mon 28 feb 00



I am about to graduate in the spring with my Masters Degree in
ceramics.I worked for eight years at a job that I hated. My original
motivation was to get a job in a field that I enjoyed.So I went back to
school.
I started as a painter. I was introduced to clay and fell in love.The
knowledge I have gained in the six years I have spend as an art student
has changed my entire perspective on art as well as life.I have been
educated about art history, process and the role of the artist in
society but, most importantly following my bliss. Man, if I was to
compromise my life by the pursuit of money, I might as well call it
quits. I believe the essence of life is in finding your bliss. I have a
totally different outlook on self and my fellow. I believe this is
spoken through my art.
Now, I look at my motivation and I believe it has changed. I am still
interested in finding a career in the arts, but,the knowledge gained in
those six years has changed me significantly. In May I will have my
degree. I do not have a job in the field and even if I never did I
wouldn't change a thing.
I guess it is in how you define success. I am confident I will never be
wealthy or probably exhibit in the Mary Boone Gallery.But,today I am
doing what I love.I find that to be success.I am confident that I will
find my role as an artist in society. I am certain that doors will open.
Follow your heart.

Regards,
Curt

Gail Dapogny on tue 29 feb 00

I believe that your education changes you irreversibly. It adds up to a
combination of useful information and the even more significant broadness
and mantle of vision that direct your life from then on.
My own degrees are in music theory and composition. While much of my 8
years of school were involved with fine, technical stuff, other aspects of
it were more vague and indirect. For example, there was one full year of a
course called simply "Aesthetics". We read and read and talked and thought
and talked some more, and I'd bet that everyone who was in that seminar
still remembers it vividly. I couldn't give you examples of how it
directly affects my everyday routine. But it and many other experiences
that flowed out of my education are a strong and present part of who I am
and what I do, even though I've moved away from that particular field.
Beyond specific course work, education influences and enhances your thought
processes, your abilities to communicate. the way you look at things or
listen to them, the way you think.

I taught at the college level for 8-10 years, and constantly ran into the
standard undergraduate question: why do I have to know this? I came to
realize how important it was to discuss with my students the vast
difference between vocational training and being educated.

In clay, I am self-taught: a few courses, numerous workshops, lots of
questions. But I look with envy at my friends who have advanced degrees in
the visual arts. The best of them have an overview and a familiarity and a
level of comfort with the world of visual design that I lack. Beyond
talent, much of this comes from the exposure that their education has given
them. Side by side with the practical stuff, education seeps in and affects
you and your life from the inside out.
Sorry if this seems wordy or preachy. Like everyone, I get carried away
with my passions!

---Gail

Gail Dapogny
1154 Olden Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103-3005
(734) 665-9816
gdapogny@umich.edu
www.silverhawk.com/ex99/dapogny

Michael Shernick on wed 1 mar 00

Hi Holly--

As someone who worked at a major university as an undergraduate academic
advisor, the one thing I always pointed out to my students was that an art
degree makes you learn how to think critically and be a problem solver, and
that is a highly desired trait in the working world. Of course, with a
degree in Biology, you already have some background in problem solving, but
it is approached in a very different way than in the arts. (BTW--don't
believe the hype that the sciences and art aren't related! They are probably
the most closely related disciplines in a university, especially the pure
sciences like biology, physics, and math. I have worked with many science
and math professors who have a very high respect for artists.)

That's the idealism, and that's for people who have already decided that
they want to earn a college degree. These are two separate questions: should
I earn a degree in the first place, and if so, should it be in art? Go to a
four year college if you really want the education for the sake of
education. If you want to learn technical skills and only technical skills,
study as an apprentice or go to a community college for those specific
courses.

My experience in the arts has been that it takes practice, practice,
practice to build the technical skills. It takes looking, looking, looking
to build your design sense. And then it takes study, study, study to
increase your understanding: both of why you make art and of art history.

I can't emphasize enough how important art history is. Get as much of it as
you can. Knowing the history of not only the clay arts, but all the arts,
will expand your vision of where you can go. "Those who know only their own
generation shall always remain a child." That's the inscription above the
door of the library at my alma mater.

If you decide to formally study art, whether at a university, community
college, or as an apprentice, study with someone whom you respect, both
personally and artistically. You may have interpersonal issues with the
teacher--studying art can be a touchy matter--but you need to have a core
respect for the teacher. So shop around carefully as to whom you receive
your instruction from.

Finally, as much as I am a supporter of an art education, don't let it get
in your way. Some professors and classmates can be dogmatic, mean,
insensitive, and churlish. Some of the latest academic trends in art are
perhaps a bad fit for you or push you to think you have to make art a
certain way to be "good" as an artist. An art education, as wonderful as it
can be at times, can also be very painful. Move past that as fast as you
can, absorb all the wonderful, beneficial lessons that exist in the
schooling you've chosen, and make beautiful art!

Cheers,

Michael
Berthoud, CO
(Our crocuses are finally poking their heads out!)



______________________________________________________
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Karen Elkins on thu 2 mar 00

Writing from the UK where the situation regards fees and the costs of going
to college is only just catching up with the US....

I studied Graphic Design for 2 years and Illustration for a further 3, then
panicked and got a 'proper job' in local government for 10 years, until last
year when I finally cracked up and became a potter!

The experience of going to college gave me all the basics I now need
regarding setting up my own business, promotion & publicity, knowing how to
put together a portfolio of work. The main thing I got from going to college
as opposed to studying at evening classes was the intensity of learning, not
just from tutors, but from other students on my own course and those around
me.

I was lucky enough to have Raymond Briggs (The Snowman etc.) and several
other 'working' tutors occasionally set projects, but what I learnt most was
seeing how other people responded to the same brief that I'd been set.
Attending and sharing the canteen with fashion students, seeing performance
artist lie on their backs in cornflakes whilst spraying aerosols under the
stairwell in the building.... all these things had an influence on me!

I was taught to appreciate 'modern art' and can now be moved by walking into
the Rothko room at the Tate gallery, which I'm sure I would have never
thought to even go to before I went to college.

It's about being open to influences, and there are more in a concentrated
form at college than anywhere else. Having said that, all I leant about
pottery I got whilst standing in the woods pretending to be a Tudor person,
but that's another story!

Going to college gives you choices, allows you to start off on one track and
then change to another when you're older & wiser. I'm the first person ever
in my family to be educated beyond the age of 16, all my ancestors were farm
labourers. Getting a college education gave me a chance to escape and use my
hands in other ways, I'm just so glad I had the opportunity then, because
the cuts in education now in the UK would mean I couldn't do that now.

Give yourself a chance & go to college, you can always do an apprenticeship
later in a production pottery, if you want to, it doesn't stop you. You'll
never know otherwise what you might have missed.
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