To BFA/MFA or not to BFA/MFA, that is the question.......

[Michelle Pajak-Reynolds]

Ok, so I've just had this really interesting dinner conversation with a friend of mine about the pro's and con's of BFA/MFA programs. And it really got me thinking about education as a whole and all of the different really expensive pieces of paper that one can accumulate in the pursuit of self-improvement.

While I've gone the BFA route and have no regrets, I'm curious what self-improvement path you've taken and why? Where did you learn your skills? What was your experience like? Did you pursue a degree or certification? What doors have opened because of your degree or certification? What doors, if any, are closed to you? How did you go about selecting a school/teacher/mentor? If you could go back and do it over again, would you attend the same program and study with the same teachers? If you could create your dream program, what would it be like? If you could study with anyone in the world, who would you chose and why?

[Tavia Brown]

This is a subject I have always contemplated. I received my BFA from Appalachian State University where Margaret Yaukey is the professor. I really enjoyed my program and immediately acquired a job as a bench jeweler working for a high-end jewelry designer in Charlottesville, VA. I worked there for 4 1/2 years while starting my own studio business on the side, for which I now work full-time. Had I to do it over, I still would've pursued a BFA at a 4 year school (for the fall-back of a general education background). However, I would've gone on to acquire my MFA. I didn't because I didn't think I wanted to teach. And, maybe I still don't. However, that door is closed as far as higher education employment. I could teach workshops locally, but I don't have the ability to teach at a university, or better yet, try and start a metals program at a local university. Will I pursue the MFA now, most likely not. I'm married, have 2 young kids and there is not a program locally to attend. I don't have the time now to devote to such a rigorous program. It would've been a lot easier to move straight into an MFA program from undergrad. But, I am happy now. I can pursue other outlets. I have my studio that I've always wanted, and with it the flexibility I need to give time to my family.

[Michelle Pajak-Reynolds]

Hi Tavia,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience and congratulations on your many successes.

Michelle

[Tod Pardon]

Excellent topic Michelle! It's a big one so I'm only going to address part of it.
I got my BFA/MFA in painting by 1977 (segueing into Metals, without a degree in the early 80's.) I chose not to go into teaching because it seemed to me to be somewhat of a meat market. I think it's even worse now. My undergraduate experience at Alfred University prepared me for a life in creative thinking, art for arts sake. That was in the early 70's when my Freshman foundation class was made up of 35 students taught by 6 full-time teachers. Think of that. Now a Freshman class is in the hundreds. Something happened between then and now. Schools are evaluated more in terms of placement of students after graduation. So, many teachers taught students how to become teachers. After all, that's what they knew best. That coupled with running the institutions like corporations created a mass of young people in the arts. Now it's an overly competitive field with very little prospects. Ask yourself how many people do you know that make a living doing their art. I mean just doing their art, nothing on the side.
I'm glad I was able to get my degrees in painting. I think if I had gotten them in Metals I would be painting, ha! There's a certain amount of freedom I've obtained by switching into another medium. I had something else to bring to Metals. I'm able to have fun with it, keep it fresh, not get tied down to theory or conceptualizing it. That's what I attribute to my success in this field for the past 25 years. The last 17 years making just one-of-a-kind pieces. But now there's another issue to deal with, the economy and the end of life as we know it. (Ha!)

[2Roses]

So much angst over three letters that mean nothing to anyone but a few academics and a lone museum curator here and there. Don't get us wrong, we value education highly and have accumulated a veritable alphabet between us. But that was just a beginning. We've been studying and exploring art continuously ever since. Just like all of you. The only time we ever get asked about our educational background is in discussions like these. That sort of summarizes the gravitas of those art degrees in the real world. Persistence has opened doors. Apprenticing has provided introductions. Recognizing opportunity and willingness to risk failure has done more to move us along the path than any three letters ever could.

[Michelle Pajak-Reynolds]

Hi Tod and 2Roses,

Thanks so much for you're thoughtful replies. I greatly appreciate your input and think it will be a great help to everybody here.

Todd brought up an important point about the economy. There's been a record number of applications pouring into schools because of the economy. Many of these prospective students are hoping to "hide-out" in school to avoid the current poor economic/job situation. Many of these include students going straight through from their BFA to an MFA. Of course this straight through approach was happening before the economy fell to pieces. What do you think of this?

[Amanda E. Stark]

I was one of those BFA to MFA students with a break in-between where I studied abroad and then worked for part of a year. I did this because my undergrad professors really rubbed off on me and I realized that I REALLY wanted to teach, I wanted to be them. I was already helping people who where not as experienced as me when I was a senior. I now find that, economically, I was better off before I went to grad school. The job market for upper education is beyond "meat market" as Todd called it, it has now received the lever of slaughter house. There are just too many MFA's graduating. This year, from what I found, there were only 3 universities that were looking for teachers in the Jewelry and Metalsmithing field. So if each state has a state funded institution and they each graduate 3 people from there Metalsmithing program with a MFA. That is a potential 150 people who need to find a job. Now I know for a fact that that number is exceptionally low number since some programs can have up to 16 grad students just in there metals program at any given time; it is also not taking into account all the other private school and other state funded institutions. I really feel sorry for any school that is doing a job search. I'm sure that the number of applicants has got to be horrendous.

I have to say that I don't blame some students for hiding out in school; but schools need to step up and teach there undergrads what they need to know. That way the number of students going straight to grad school would be a more responsible number.

[Thea Clark]

Michelle,

Great topic, thanks for starting it. I came to metal in my mid/late twenties, already having experienced life as a professional actor. I've mainly studied outside of the mainstream with mentors, community college, workshops and on my own through trial and error. I concur with 2 Roses, learning is lifelong. However, since I do enjoy teaching I often wish I had the option to teach college aged students, but like Tavia, my life is far too complex with 2 children, returning to school for the long haul is not in the plans. I do sometimes believe, the bonds formed in MFA programs, as well as the attention paid to graduates by gallery owners, open some doors. Ultimately, a creative life is a rewarding challenge, taking persistence and good humor.

[Belle Brooke Barer]

I attended a liberal arts college and graduated with a B.A. no "F" in any part of my education. I studied anthropology, environmental studies, art, photography, art history, spanish and sociology. I learned about the world, formed opinions, explored the landscape around me, traveled abroad for a semester where I do photojournalism project and had a show in Venezuela, I was interviewed by local newspaper and even had a radio interview in Spanish. I don't think I would have had these experiences in a specialized art school. I came upon metalsmithing in my spare time after I graduated and took classes at this great little (not so little anymore) school called The Crucible in Berkeley (now in Oakland), I experimented on my own, and then I went to Revere, where I learned more about the technical side of jewelry fabrication, which has been the foundation of the strength and integrity of my work. After that I went to work as a goldsmith for a wedding ring company in Sonoma County and I truly began to hone my skills at this point. I believe that all of these experiences have been valuable, most especially the ones which focused on technique. In response to an article in the current metalsmith magazine, we are losing the technique aspect of arts education. As an employer, I am shocked at what some students who come to work for me after completing expensive and time consuming programs do not posses in their skill set. I think students need to learn more about mastery of craftsmanship before they go on to explore the art side of things, plus it provides a viable skill set for future employment. I couldn't be happier with the route I have chosen and can see for miles the opportunities laid out ahead of me because of the choices I have made.

[Michelle Pajak-Reynolds]

Hi Belle,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Your accomplishments are very impressive, many congratulations. I just read that article too, and it made me very sad. Any ideas for how to turn things around?

Michelle

[Robin Aronson]

This makes me think of an artist whose bio I read recently that states something like: As a self-taught artist, I am not bound by the constraints of formal education ...

This has sparked several debates in our family; my sister, who has a BFA in art (painting), is really indignant that this person is trying to diminsh all the hard work that other artists have put into their educations. My degree is in computers. I am now making a living as an artist (she's not), but I really wish I had taken a different route and had the benefit of all the great background info that she has!

[2Roses]

The opposing positions staked out by the formally educated versus self-taught artists reminds us of an old saw espoused by trial lawyers, "When the law is on your side, pound the law. When its not, pound the table".

[Michelle Pajak-Reynolds]

That's an interesting way to look at it. I don't consider formal education constraining. Yeah sure your schedule might be dictated by an academic calendar for a while, but so what. I think formal education, just like anything you're trying to become better at, can be very liberating and eye-opening. Especially, if you're in an environment with passionate people who want to help each other thrive. In the end, what really matters is your portfolio and has your work brought joy to someone's life. There's a long list of artists both living and dead that never earned a degree or made a living on their art, but their work is still powerfully moving.