Alisa and Claus Clausen on mon 28 feb 00
------------------
This is especially in reponse to Vince's response which is very close to my
thinking.
I have a BFA in ceramics. All the ground courses leading up to the year I =
was
allowed
in the clay studio have given me invaluable skills, including the skill to =
look
and see. This
has has all been discussed earlier in an =22art smart=22 discussion.
When I now look back at my education years, I think they were some of the =
best
years
I have had so far. It was a time I was 101 =25 immersed in learning and =
able to
spend
most of my energy on the things I most wanted to do - learn mediums and =
their
potentials.
If I could deep freeze the significant people in life now for 2 years, I =
would
take a MFA.
I spent my five years of University at 3 different colleges and =
universities.
This further
enhanced the information I was receiving as there was such varied input from
different
individuals.
Another really important part of education is the contacts you make and how =
you
use them
to further your self and your education outside the class setting.
My BFA does not allow me teach in Denmark, although I can instruct. Also =
been
discussed.
But in America you can teach in a private school without a teacher's degree,=
in
the subject(s)
you have a background in.
I have never experienced a negative response when telling a prespective =
employer
or a guest at
a cocktail party that I have a degree.On the contrary, having a degree has =
only
bolstered
my credibility and ableness. Getting a BFA is hard work and I think it is
incorrect to knock a persons education as unnecesary. There are many =
excellent
self learned potters. There are
also many excellent potters with a degree. The difference? Well, that is =
an
entire new
discussion. For me, it has given me a high jumping off level to start out =
on my
own in
the potting world. 20 years after the graduation, I am making my own =
venture
in clay. My education gives the tools and confidence to work it out, =
outside a
big support system.
Of course the experiences I gathered after the degree add to my resources.
I learned potentials and how to make a mark and reach the goal. As =
importantly
to hit the mark, to try again after failure. I can make educated guesses of=
how
to make things better which each day I am working.
I give no audience to whinners, and that a degree is worthless. Feel your =
own
self worth, and
anything you are exposed to can be banked as information and used for =
positive
advancement Time to study and total immersion? I would swoop on that =
anytime
fast. I would wish for anyone
in a degree program, that they would at very least, have the excellent I
experience I had.
Last but not least, knowledge gives strength.
Alisa in Denmark
-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: vince pitelka =3Cvpitelka=40dekalb.net=3E
Til: CLAYART=40LSV.UKY.EDU =3CCLAYART=40LSV.UKY.EDU=3E
Dato: 28. februar 2000 02:20
Emne: Re: art degree
=3E----------------------------Original message----------------------------
=3E=3E I would say to use the money
=3E=3E you would other wise spend on an Art degree and use it to build a =
ceramic
=3E=3E studio for yourself. Just my 2 cents worth...... Jim Bozeman
=3E
=3EJim -
=3EThis does a real disservice to anyone seriously considering higher
=3Eeducation in art. What made you so bitter about the value of higher
=3Eeducation? You say that your BFA has not done a single thing for you, =
and
=3Eyet you are making a living off your pottery? Was the BFA degree =
entirely
=3Esuperfluous? Didn't it enrich your life? Didn't it broaden your =
horizons?
=3EIf so, please admit
=3Eit, and do your best to tell other people that it can do the same for =
them.
=3EIf it did not enrich your life or broaden your horizons, then you wasted =
a
=3Ehell of a good opportunity, and that is your loss.
=3E
=3EAs I said before, higher education offers the individual an opportunity =
to
=3Ecram a great deal of learning and experience into a short period of time.
=3EWhat you make of the opportunity is up to you. Both the BFA and MFA =
degrees
=3Eopen up a world of possibilities. The teaching may not be abundant, but
=3Ethey are out there for anyone willing to go to the necessary lengths to
=3Epursue them.
=3E
=3ESorry if the above seems at all harsh or abrupt, but I get pretty tired =
of
=3Ehearing people slamming higher education just becaue their own experience
=3Edid not meet their expectations. You are responsible for your own =
destiny.
=3E- Vince
=3E
=3EVince Pitelka
=3EHome - vpitelka=40dekalb.net
=3E615/597-5376
=3EWork - wpitelka=40tntech.edu
=3E615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
=3EAppalachian Center for Crafts
=3ETennessee Technological University
=3E1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
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