I recently heard an artistically talented young man say that a high school teacher suggested that he not attend college because he already knows how to draw. I had an immediate negative reaction, but it took me a few days to figure out exactly why. I think I've summed it up below.
Also want to point out I didn't go to an "art school," rather I majored in art at University of Memphis (which was awesome).
- Art majors learn an actual skill (such as how to paint).
- Majoring in art/going to art school is about putting in the time and making the work. Do you already have talent and skills? Great. Will you use them to make work every day? Probably not.
- Art classes teach you how to talk about art. And you have to be able to talk about your art.
- If you want a career in something art/design related you have to know how to write, which is a skill you don't always learn in high school.
- Regardless of the type of art you are interested in, critical thinking is necessary, and can be developed in college, when you are slightly more mature and your brain has had a chance to finish developing (guys!).
- When you major in art/go to art school you meet other like-minded people and you have those connections for the rest of your life.
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