From: Darryl Baird (dbaird@umflint.edu)
Date: 10/17/01-09:33:54 AM Z
Hi Shannon,
Oh yeah, open up the can and out come some wriggling worms! No offense,
folks, it's a joke. I'm glad to see this OT thread. I remember when Gary
Miller was asking questions about MFA stuff, it always helps (me) to air
these alternate possibilities.
I'm teaching full-time, starting my fourth year, and I have been
grappling with the teaching vs. personal work for the entire time. So
far, despite an incredible load surrounding developing two
concentrations -- photography and graphic design for the BFA program, I
have managed to create a small body of work, reprint and revise
(digitally) another two older bodies and continue to exhibit. New work
is coming, but I plan my work more in advance these days to accommodate
a teaching calendar. I just came back from PhotoAmericas in Portland,
where I met with people (buyers) to assess my work. It was a much needed
kick in the pants.
I got into teaching, first because I wanted to make art, second because
I found I loved teaching. I am determined to make art no matter what.
Otherwise, why bother? I work to find funding for projects; (luckily) my
University helps quite generously to support junior faculty to "develop"
their teaching, "publishing" and personal career objectives. My tenure
decision is two years away and I'm beginning a strong push for better
exhibition venues, published work, and sales. This carrot/stick scenario
has kept me (and my wife) crazy for 9 months of each year. I work hard
in the off time and continue to learn at an incredible pace, more so
than when I was a student. That's the really wild part of teaching...
the learning!
As far a grad schools go, go for the best schools in the best towns. If
you can move from Texas, do so. I couldn't leave Dallas at the time I
started grad school (U of North Texas), so I took the best route
available and worked towards my ultimate goal of teaching full-time. The
MFA was a means to an end, but it came with many, many perks mostly in
the form of fellow grad students. While in school I was challenged by
both faculty and students to see other points of view and styles. It was
a big eye opener for someone coming from commercial photography. I had
always tried to keep my foot in art, but the needs of a commercial
business were too demanding to give "Art" much emphasis. (In hindsight
this is untrue) At least in academia, you are expected to produce "Art."
If I could do it again, and could have gone anywhere, it would probably
have been the School of the Art Institute of Chicago...I like
social/political art.
Like it has been said, unless you are planning to teach, an MFA is
irrelevant, but the process is intense and the connections you make are
very rewarding, sometimes career shaping.
later
-- Darryl Baird Assistant Professor of Art Photography & Graphic Design University of Michigan-Flint
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