Re: Thoughts on MFA program

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From: Jeffrey D. Mathias (jeffrey.d.mathias@worldnet.att.net)
Date: 08/29/00-05:31:13 AM Z


YAPAR@aol.com wrote:
>
> To all who are now in, or thinking of ever being in an MFA program.
> >From Ivan Olsen, MFA, Pratt Institute ,(Brooklyn) NYC , 1996.
> Been there done that, so now what?
>...
> An MFA does NOT help you by itself make you any money.
> ...

What ever happened to the concept of Thomas Jefferson where one would
attend a university to learn or to teach for the pleasure of it and not
the economics of it.

And although Ivan's reccomendation is good (if only in part), what about
the practice and effort that must be expended to master any art
process. This only comes after some level of personal dedication.

And what is this becoming an Artist. Does one who takes a multitude of
courses in mathematics suddenly become a mathematician. Does one who
takes a multitude of courses in gym suddenly become an olympian. So why
should it be that one who has an MFA is an artist; indeed it is not.
Perhaps the most meaningful degrees are those granted as honorary.

The university can be a wonderful setting to meet, interact with, learn
from, and teach others; it can be.

-- 
Jeffrey D. Mathias
http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.mathias/


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