December 27, 2013

  • Career Day at Lowell High School

    answering questions on career day at Lowell.

    answering questions on career day at Lowell.

    Tony Lee, counselor at Lowell, whom I've know from Kin Kuo Chinese School when we were kids, asked me if I wanted to participate at Lowell high school's career day.  At first I said no.  But a little arm twisting convinced me.

    I was to go in as an artist and to talk about my career.  I did not want to participate at first because I did not consider myself an example of a successful artist.  But Tony Lee insisted it would be okay.

    I am surprised how attentive the students were.  They were writing notes  and were really listening to me when I answered their questions.  I guess that's what make Lowell students Lowell students.

    They read from a scripted questionaire and I was answering the same questions over and over again.  Here are some of my answers.  You can assume what the questions are.

    I graduated with a BFA from the college right down the street, San Francisco State University.  I have never had a situation where someone hired me because of my college degree.  In the artworld they go by your art and not by your college degree unless I taught art in an institution.

    I can't say I learned a lot from the art department of SF State University.  But I got into photography instead of drawing and printmaking.  The teachers did not help a lot.  They mostly showed up at the beginning of class and then disappeared into their offices or no where to be found.

    I'm a struggling artist but if you do find a job in art, just expect a working wage.   That's IF you can find a longterm paying job as an artist.  Most jobs are project oriented and they'll let you go as soon as their finished with the project.

    I advise you also take business classes because the chances are most likely that you'll be self employed.  Having good business skills are useful in addition to art skills.

    No I have no website I can recommend about information about the art career.

    Recommended book:  Legal Guide for the Visual Artist by Tad Crawford

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    Like usual I did not sleep the night before in order to make it to Lowell by 8am.  I rode my motorcycle out there.  Just grabbed a handful of posters.  Good thing they had free coffee and bagels.