The study of visual arts is thriving in the world today, yet very little has been written on working with visual arts college students. Building on the limited literature on the topic and an interview with an arts administrator at a large Midwestern university, this paper outlines some realities about art students, art study, and art careers, and offers information to help steer students toward meeting their educational goals, empowering them to fulfill their dreams.
According to the research of 1981 Nobel Prize winning psychobiologist Roger Sperry, the right side of the brain is responsible for aesthetics, artistry, creativity, intuition, subjectivity, wholeness, synthesizing, and risk taking. People with artistic talent are said to be “right brained.” The left side of the brain is oriented toward logical, analytical, sequential, rational, objective, and accurate thinking (Herrmann, 1998). The Ned Herrmann Group of educators who have studied brain activity for the last twenty years maintain that artistic people are probably more “whole brained” because they also need to use the left brain's capabilities to apply solutions to creative problems, that is, to determine through rational thought that their intuitive solutions will really work (Herrmann, 1998).
The School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in art education, art history, crafts (ceramics, glass working, metal working), graphic design, industrial design, painting, photography, and sculpture. The high demand for these programs is verified by the long waiting list of students wishing to transfer into the art department from within the university (many are engineering and architecture students seeking more creativity), from community colleges, and from other four-year institutions. More than 500 students are enrolled in the undergraduate studio arts programs and, historically, were advised by the program chairs of each unit. As the university system became more complex and experienced more frequent changes, Professor Robin Douglas, associate director and coordinator of academic programs within the school, realized that students were finding the program chairs not equipped to answer questions and concerns about general education requirements and thus beginning to turn to her for this advice. She made a commitment to never turn a student away without an answer and to not send students on wild goose hunts all over campus. Thus, she eventually became the de facto academic adviser, in addition to her many other administrative and teaching tasks. She very much enjoys forming relationships with students and is a staunch student advocate. Her experience and insights will help demonstrate some of the issues facing art students, including the pressures facing art students, the evaluation of student work, and career realities.
Most of the students in the art department are eighteen to twenty-two years old, an idealistic age to be sure but also one of heightened creativity and artistic ability. Although students come to the university from a wide variety of high school backgrounds in art training, Professor Douglas noted that most of those who had poor or nonexistent training in high school catch up with their peers by the middle of the first semester. Many times, students are interested in or skilled at several areas of art. However, most have not been exposed to real working artists in their home communities and do not know what an artist's life entails.
Professor Douglas observes that, in general, art students are bright, happy, hopeful, and goal-oriented. Because students spend so much time together in studio classes, they often form a “sibling society,” sharing ideas and supporting each other. Although many of the students had been the star art pupils in their high schools, when they arrive at the university, any inflated egos are quickly humbled by the abilities of their classmates and pressure from peers, parents, and society (personal communication, July 15, 2002).
The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A) degree earned by art students requires approximately one-third liberal arts and two-thirds visual arts courses. Most of the liberal arts courses meet the university's general education requirements. Students are required to take general art foundation courses during the first year and then formally apply to a major area of concentration at the end of their second semester. Some programs require a student to apply by submitting a portfolio, which is subjectively graded by the faculty in the student's area of interest. Because grading of artwork is also subjective, students must learn to accept criticism and not be defensive about it. Students and professors work closely together in studio art, so students experience much one-on-one interaction. Generally, art professors articulate criticism in a patient and kind manner that the students are able to accept (R. Douglas, personal communication, July 15, 2002). This is not to say there are not professors who could utilize a more palatable approach to their critiques, or that there is never miscommunication. As students progress through their programs, there are many opportunities for character-building based on the demands of producing good art and meeting the expectations of their instructors. Experiencing some adversity in their studies can be expected and will better prepare them for their future careers as professional artists (Kelly, 1995).
Creating and producing art is hard work. The lives of professional artists are not all fun, as some students might think, but art careers can be rewarding and lucrative. Jobs in most studio arts are plentiful at present, and most students in these programs are very employable when they graduate (R. Douglas, personal communication, July 15, 2002). Many companies in business and industry require people with creative minds to improve their workplaces and increase productivity, so they intentionally seek out job candidates with art degrees. Those students who opt to attend graduate school will be prepared to teach at community colleges and universities or to work at museums, but they are certainly not limited to these options. Professor Douglas frequently receives calls from various units on campus requesting the services of art students, offering internships, or asking to borrow students' art for display. These opportunities help students to get a feel for working in their specialization and for some welcomed work experience and exposure.
Advice for Advising Art Students
Art students seem to respond well to the holistic approach of developmental academic advising, but there are several points to consider when working with this group of students. Kelly (1995) found that, although it is important for academic advisers to have advising experience, it is equally important for advisers to have a keen sense of intuition when working with art students. There is no way to predict the success of art students, but, ideally, every student should be nurtured as a potential Van Gogh or O'Keeffe. Advisers need to remember that each student is a unique individual with special gifts. This positive point of view will aid in cultivating healthy advising relationships with students based on mutual trust and caring. Having an enthusiastic and positive attitude, offering praise for accomplishments, and believing in each student's potential can go a long way in empowering these students to succeed.
In addition, it is important for art advisers to be honest with their students and help them pursue the best career path, given their individual talents and needs. For example, some may want to consider picking up a double major or a minor in order to help make them more attractive to future employers upon graduation, or students with special circumstances may need to consider other options or alternatives, such as independent study or self-directed learning. Advisers also need to help facilitate student transfers out of the college if it is clear that students are in the wrong area of study. In all of these cases, advisers must be flexible and willing to present students with a number of different options regarding their program of study and their careers.
Advisers should urge students to come in to see them at least once a year to ensure that the students are receiving accurate information and to avoid unhappy surprises at graduation. Advisers should also urge their students to establish good communication with their art instructors. Some courses are not graded until the final portfolio review, and students who have maintained a dialogue with their instructors all semester should know what to expect as a final grade (R. Douglas, personal communication, July 15, 2002). Advisers need to keep themselves informed about opportunities for internships, study abroad, service learning, honors programs, and special awards so they can relay this information to students in a timely manner.
Academic advisers can help art students to realize that they are supported in their “whole brained” endeavors to hone their talents for personal and professional growth. By nurturing the development of future artists, advisers play an integral role in a larger effort to better society. This privilege and responsibility should be fulfilled not only with a whole brain but also with a whole heart.