Ask the Recruiter

Degrees such as the master's in studio art or the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) are designed primarily for people pursuing a career as producers of fine art, be it paintings, sculpture, photography, ceramics, etc. As you might imagine, it is very difficult to make money as a fine artist. The field is highly competitive, and income can be meager and/or sporadic.

However, there are plenty of more reliable career paths for artists, including teaching, graphic design, and visual communications or advertising. Teaching your chosen art form can be very compatible with continuing to function as an artist, while providing a steadier source of income. With some technical training, you can supplement your studio art with a graphic design career. And business or visual communications courses can help you apply your art background in a commercial context. These career paths can serve as an important income stream as you try to become established in the fine arts.

The other nice thing about these art-related careers--especially teaching--is that they offer opportunities to interact with emerging and fellow artists, energizing and inspiring your artistic vision.

At some point, anyone pursuing a career in the arts has to seek out a candid and objective assessment of how talented they really are. This type of reality check will tell you whether the art form is something you should pursue as a career, or simply maintain as a hobby. Fortunately, many master's programs in the arts have fairly competitive admissions processes, which might give you some indication of how well you stack up.