(no subject)
So, I'll graduate this December with a BFA in Illustration, assuming all goes well. Which it shall.
I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do after I graduate. For a long time, I thought I wanted to do children's book illustration - and on some level, I still do. But it's an insanely competitive field (and it shouldn't be - I've seen some of the garbage that gets published), and I don't know if I have the drive to make it.
Then I thought maybe I'd try my hand at product/surface design. I love patterns, and it would be a really fun field to get into. Lots of structure if I manage to get hired by a company, and evidently it's a really easy field to succeed in. But...do I really want to spend the rest of my life making more garbage for our spoiled society to throw into landfills? Not really. I could do it for a little while, maybe, but not forever.
Lately, I've been toying with the idea of branching out into art therapy. It's something I was interested in even before I came to MCAD, but I kind of abandoned it to chase more purely artistic goals. However, it's still something I'm very interested in, and I think it would do more good in the long run than another kid's book or roll of wrapping paper.
From what I understand, I would need to take a Psychology undergrad curriculum to go with the BFA I'll be acquiring soon, and then go for a Master's in Art Therapy (though I really need to confirm this with a counselor). I could do a Psych undergrad (or post-bach) at the University of Minnesota easily, and that would get that out of the way. Then I could head east or west for my Master's - Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and New York City all have schools that offer Masters degrees in Art Therapy. Beyond that? I don't really know yet.
I've been researching credentials and schools for art therapy for a few weeks now. This is a good indication to me that this is something I really want, instead of a fleeting desire. I had the same drive to research and work when I decided I wanted to transfer to MCAD.
I don't have to make this decision right now. I want to focus on finishing one degree before I start chasing another. But it's something that I think I really want, and that might really be worth pursuing.
What do you think, flist?
I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do after I graduate. For a long time, I thought I wanted to do children's book illustration - and on some level, I still do. But it's an insanely competitive field (and it shouldn't be - I've seen some of the garbage that gets published), and I don't know if I have the drive to make it.
Then I thought maybe I'd try my hand at product/surface design. I love patterns, and it would be a really fun field to get into. Lots of structure if I manage to get hired by a company, and evidently it's a really easy field to succeed in. But...do I really want to spend the rest of my life making more garbage for our spoiled society to throw into landfills? Not really. I could do it for a little while, maybe, but not forever.
Lately, I've been toying with the idea of branching out into art therapy. It's something I was interested in even before I came to MCAD, but I kind of abandoned it to chase more purely artistic goals. However, it's still something I'm very interested in, and I think it would do more good in the long run than another kid's book or roll of wrapping paper.
From what I understand, I would need to take a Psychology undergrad curriculum to go with the BFA I'll be acquiring soon, and then go for a Master's in Art Therapy (though I really need to confirm this with a counselor). I could do a Psych undergrad (or post-bach) at the University of Minnesota easily, and that would get that out of the way. Then I could head east or west for my Master's - Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington DC, and New York City all have schools that offer Masters degrees in Art Therapy. Beyond that? I don't really know yet.
I've been researching credentials and schools for art therapy for a few weeks now. This is a good indication to me that this is something I really want, instead of a fleeting desire. I had the same drive to research and work when I decided I wanted to transfer to MCAD.
I don't have to make this decision right now. I want to focus on finishing one degree before I start chasing another. But it's something that I think I really want, and that might really be worth pursuing.
What do you think, flist?