"See those people standing on the side of the road? The ones with the cardboard signs and are asking for spare change? Yeah, those people were Art majors."That is what I was told by a friend when they first found out what I was in school for. Yes, it's still somewhat funny... I even retorted with, "Sure, but I'll have the best damn looking sign out there!"
I get tired of the pessimists though. Those that only think of practical solutions, instead of fulfilling their dreams. "Teacher" is an acceptable answer for the "What are you going to do with an Art degree?" question... by the way... in case you didn't know. See, the fact that you are even considering art as a career path worries the pessimists. Say that you are going to just BE an artist... well now... you might as well get use to your significant other having to take care of you for the rest of your life. There's no way you'd be able to become successful enough to support yourself, let alone a whole freakin' family!
It's true that many who try to break into the art world don't become as successful or famous as they may have dreamed, but isn't it better that they at least gave it a shot?
Now, there are people who ask about your career goal just genuinely wanting to know, but there are others who, even after giving them your (well rehearsed, lawyer-esque) closing statement... I mean, explanation, still believe your chosen path to be a waste of time and money - especially money.
As an artist, and a mediocre one at that, I will always believe art to be an essential part of life. Not just for myself, but for everyone around me. Everyone within our society, our culture.
(The following are a few of my own ideas and excerpts/thoughts from an article titled "Is Art Essential?" by Donald Harris:)
Art is not only everywhere, it also transcends time. "There is no geographical, ethic, or history boundary." Through art we understand the artist, we understand people, we start to understand our many differences.
Art often reflects the complexity that is within the human mind. Emotions are incredibly hard to understand or even describe. "Otherwise, it would be relatively simple to define love or passion, or hate, or anger, or contemplation, or happiness, or grief, or sorrow."
Emotions - a nonverbal form of communication. It can exist in works of art such as paintings, sculptures, music, or dance. Art also describes feelings in verbal communications such as theatre, poetry, or books. Our emotional life is the most uncontrolled or unpredictable, but clearly a part of our lives that informs our thoughts and actions as much as our intellect. "Art expresses the depth and variety or passions that are a fundamental part of our existence."
With the ability to express our inner desires or worries, in a visual form, we are capable of problem-solving. There are very few situations, experiences, or problems that only have a single solution (those exceptions being something like a mathematical equation).
Many non-artists, those that don't even doodle a little, probably can't grasp how much thought really goes into the creation of an art piece. Art is all about ideas... the rational activity of neurons lighting up in the brain to, in a sense, problem solve.
In works of art there are several outcomes available to the artist, each quite different to each other but still solid answers. Two painters can look at the exact same tree but interpret the surroundings, colors, and textures in completely different ways...
"Can we then conclude that art is essential? From a sociological or political standpoint, probably not. There are problems that are more urgent and compelling. We cannot expect from art that which it cannot promise or deliver, such as shelter for the homeless or jobs for the unemployed. On the other hand, is there something essential about the art that makes it compelling, worthy or our attention, fundamental to an understanding of ourselves and our fellow human being wherever they may be found on this earth, indispensable to our growth as educated and compassionate citizens, or a necessary component to the appreciation and enjoyment of historical achievements?"
Art can be seen as quintessential to an understanding of life in all of its diversity, richness, and depth.
Art teaches us that, in art and in life, there is more than one way to describe the same issue, equally revealing, equally compelling. It's another form of tolerance and understanding. Art is about making choices.
