Lessons learned in art school
October 12, 2009It’s Thanksgiving day here in Canada. What am I grateful for? That I put myself heavily into student loans to go to art school. It was the best decision I ever made.
I had some remarkable instructors when I attended NSCAD University (once upon a time simply referred to as “the Art College”). I vividly remember three things that were said to me during my time at NSCAD; the first two were offhand comments, the third was carefully worded and meant to stick. None of them were said in a business context, but as so often happens, simple, sincere words are more valuable than you realize. These words have served me well as an artist and designer. They’re important marketing lessons, too.
Play, but play well. Keep your goals in mind, but let your imagination run.
Don’t get precious with it. Allow yourself to make mistakes as you explore possibilities.
You’re responsible for what you put into the world. This isn’t about political correctness; it’s about not being a jerk.
And here’s a bonus lesson I figured out later: have respect for yourself, respect for your collaborators, and respect for your work. That applies not only to your creative process, but also how you promote it.
Only a short year or two ago, I coveted my ideas like they were perfect extensions of myself. I held them so tight, so dearly, defending their honor with a clenched fist. Then I realized I was scared. I was afraid that if I allowed another’s opinion to be wholeheartedly heard, I would be unhinged. I held onto them like they were precious.
You’re right! When you do this, you rapidly become brittle and unable to grow into something bigger and better than fear.
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Stacey Cornelius Reply:
October 17th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Very nicely said, Lydia. And what a liberating idea.
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[...] courage to be truly creative One of my favourite art school instructors had a brilliant bit of guidance for her intro level students: don’t get precious with [...]
I do appreciate how valuable content is, and intend to study and learn much more about writing and presentation. I’m starting to wonder if paying professionals to assist me in my marketing efforts might be a better idea than spending so much time away from my studio.
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Stacey Cornelius Reply:
January 14th, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Short answer: it depends. Nobody can speak for your work as well as you can, but good graphic designers are worth the money, as are quality resources that speak to what you do.
If you learn it yourself, you have something you can build on.
There’s always a trade-off: money or time.
That’s probably not the concrete answer you were looking for, but in the end it comes down to what’s right for you.
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