Art is a form of expression. Admired and respected for thousands of years, the visual arts is a craft that takes many years to become proficient in. Those who choose to pursue it often know they have a long road ahead of them before graduation.
Junior and art major, Aedan Lake, described the workload as intense. “I’m here in the studio most of the weekend,” Lake said. She continued, “I’m here some nights until at least 9:30 or 10:00 working, and sometimes it seems like I make no progress.”
This is even the case for first-year students. Studio art major Haley Kean said, “Sometimes I’m up until 3 a.m. trying to finish a project.”
This is the expectation for all art students and, according to the Higher Education Policy Institute’s latest Academic Experience Survey, art students clock in more student hours on average than law students.
Sculpture professor Lynn Richardson said she recommends students become involved outside of class with the different opportunities Keene State College provides to art students.
“We have two student groups, the Art Collective and Design Graphics, these opportunities are for students to interact with like-minded individuals.
Photo by Tim Smith / Photo Illustration by George AMaru
We also have numerous ways for students to show work on campus including at the Thorne-Sagendorph Gallery, the Carroll House Gallery and the Mason Gallery. Additionally, we encourage our students to apply for Undergraduate Research and Creative Project Grants. And we will be sending to students to represent the Art Department at the COPLAC Conference at Ramapo College in New Jersey,” Richardson said.
All of this hard work goes toward what might be an uncertain future, however. Lake described her worries about post graduate life, “I’m nervous to lose all of the resources that Keene State provides, I’m not gonna be able to work in a studio for a long time. And that’s going to definitely be a problem.”
But Richardson said she is confident about her students’ lives post-graduation. “The Art Department launched its first Alumni Survey in 2015. Our alumni identified careers as elementary art educators, graphic designers, web designers, visual arts educator and many others. Our Alumni are working in all sectors of the arts in both regional and national locations,” Richardson said.
Lake said she isn’t sure what the future holds, but that she is excited about her opportunities.
“I’ve been thinking of going in a lot of different directions with it. There’s so many different things you can do, that people don’t realize. You can go into teaching, you can become a professor, you can go back to school for a psychology degree and become an art therapist, and people are always looking for a commission artist,” Lake said.
Despite worries about the future, these students are sure that art is their lives’ trajectory.
“I want to be an art major because art is my passion. I can’t just not make art,” Kean said.
Richardson said this is the reason her students get into the field.
“Most students have a passion for art,” Richardson said.
Kean said she is optimistic about her future.
“I’m not too sure where I want to be working, but as long as I have a good career and I’m surrounded by art,” Kean said.
Regardless of the uncertainty, Lake is enthusiastic for her life as an artist.
“I am excited to see where life takes me,” Lake said.
Katherine Bouressa can be contacted at kbouressa@kscequinox.com
