centa on mon 27 mar 00
Hello, I live in north SF bay area, still raising 2 kids in suburbia,
happily w/ studio in my garage, hungry for a ceramics education, and
will soon need to put stuff out to sell, for better or worse, if I want
this passion to help support my life. I am limited in where I could go
to school but the main question I am pondering is, should I go for a BFA
(or equivilant) (have BA in something else but with all the lower
division art courses taken care of except no art history), or should I
try to pull together a portfolio (which at this time would only show
pots, no sculpture), take a few more classes (in upper division
ceramics, sculpture, and and art hisotry) and apply directly for an MFA
program. There is College of Arts and Crafts which is probably the only
school that treats pottery and scultptue on equal terms I believe (does
not exclude pottery from the world fo art in other words), or Mills
College. Both Only $20,000/yr or so. As far as possible (local enough)
University MFA programs I only know of UC Davis, which I am looking
into. It is sculpture based, I believe. To even consider the "art
school" option I would need to track down scholarship/fellowship moneys,
which is another issue. I'm also 46 tommorrow, so to pursue this would
not be with the idea of a ten-year track position obviously. My
objective is to 1)develop my technical competance. I am someone who has
always stopped short of developing in that regard. I have no problem
with artistic "vision", but am coming to ceramics at this time of my
life recognizing the need for a foundation; not that it is
everything,.... 2) Wanting whatever clout and feeling of
competance/confidence in myself and from others having a degree can help
instill. My sense is that by the time you are in a graduate program, you
are no longer being taught technique; you should have the technical
foundation by that point, as well as a ground of intellectual
understanding gained form the art history. Anyway, feedback would be
much appreciated, from the veterans as well as
anyone else is in a similar quandry.
thanks for listening,
Centa
Andrew Buck on tue 28 mar 00
Centa,
One of my college days advisers told me, in answer to basicly the same
question about where to continue my art studies, "go where they teach what
it is that you wish to learn". I have always found this to be sound
advise. It does not sound like you have aspirations of a career as a
college professor where having an MFA instead of a MA would be a real
boon. Therefore, I would suggest that you get to know the teachers at the
various institutions and what their focus is, and make your decision on
that basis. If you want to make pots or learn glaze technology, don't
pick a school that leans too heavily on conceptual art. Or the other way
around for that matter. Also, do not rely on school catalogs for this
information. It has been my experience that, as an example, just because
the class description says glaze formulation will be taught, there will be
a teacher capable or willing to teach the subject.
Andy Buck
Raincreek Pottery
Port Orchard, Washington
On Mon, 27 Mar 2000, centa wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hello, I live in north SF bay area, still raising 2 kids in suburbia,
> happily w/ studio in my garage, hungry for a ceramics education, and
> will soon need to put stuff out to sell, for better or worse, if I want
> this passion to help support my life. I am limited in where I could go
> to school but the main question I am pondering is, should I go for a BFA
> (or equivilant) (have BA in something else but with all the lower
> division art courses taken care of except no art history), or should I
> try to pull together a portfolio (which at this time would only show
> pots, no sculpture), take a few more classes (in upper division
> ceramics, sculpture, and and art hisotry) and apply directly for an MFA
> program. There is College of Arts and Crafts which is probably the only
> school that treats pottery and scultptue on equal terms I believe (does
> not exclude pottery from the world fo art in other words), or Mills
> College. Both Only $20,000/yr or so. As far as possible (local enough)
> University MFA programs I only know of UC Davis, which I am looking
> into. It is sculpture based, I believe. To even consider the "art
> school" option I would need to track down scholarship/fellowship moneys,
> which is another issue. I'm also 46 tommorrow, so to pursue this would
> not be with the idea of a ten-year track position obviously. My
> objective is to 1)develop my technical competance. I am someone who has
> always stopped short of developing in that regard. I have no problem
> with artistic "vision", but am coming to ceramics at this time of my
> life recognizing the need for a foundation; not that it is
> everything,.... 2) Wanting whatever clout and feeling of
> competance/confidence in myself and from others having a degree can help
> instill. My sense is that by the time you are in a graduate program, you
> are no longer being taught technique; you should have the technical
> foundation by that point, as well as a ground of intellectual
> understanding gained form the art history. Anyway, feedback would be
> much appreciated, from the veterans as well as
> anyone else is in a similar quandry.
>
> thanks for listening,
> Centa
>
Fabienne Cassman on tue 28 mar 00
Hello Centa,
If I understand correctly, you are only seeking to enrich yourself and do
not wish to teach which is typically one of the reasons one gets a Master's
degree.
Rather than putting yourself through a grueling (imo) 2 years of Grad
school and its eclectic curriculum, vow abject poverty, etc. why not go to
a few workshops that you really care about and the few classes in the MFA
program you see as advantageous for what you do or see yourself doing.
Otherwise, I would call the department I'm interested in and see if they
would have me make up deficiencies for the BFA and start straight into the
MFA. Since you have a BA, I really don't see why they would have you
retake the initial years of general studies classes, math, English
composition, world history, ...
Good luck :)
Faye
--
Pottery Toolbox http://clay.justnet.com
Virtual Gallery http://clay.justnet.com/cgallery/
Yes, I have learned from my mistakes...
I can reproduce them exactly.
bchalmers on thu 30 mar 00
If you wish to teach at Uni. go back to school. If you want to learn how to
pot, take an apprenticeship with someone whose work you admire. Work for
them during the day, throw your own stuff at night, and in a year you'll be
well on your own way!!
I know people with BFA, HONs. who still had to learn how to pot.The thing
was they knew how to learn.
just my humble opinion!
brent
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