By Derek Westra
Many BYU students majoring in fine arts have grown accustomed to people asking, ?Art huh ? what do you plan to do with that??
As April graduation approaches, some senior art majors said their field of study is seen as one with limited professional career options. While the idea of the ?starving artist? is still a concern, students and professors of fine arts suggest that successful, even wealthy artists do exist.
?Lots of people around here think that business or law is the only way to make money,? said Sunny Belliston, a senior double majoring in fine arts and art education. ?It?s important for people to do what they are passionate about and do their best to make it work.?
Belliston said most people would be surprised at how many Utah artists have successful careers.
?I?m not one of them yet,? Belliston said. ?But my final showcase is hanging in the HFAC right now, and without trying too hard, I?ve almost sold my whole show.?
Receiving commission for artwork is only one way for fine arts graduates to make money. Some students plan on using their skills in technical fields, while most plan to make a living out of teaching.
?There are all kinds of jobs out there which people don?t think about,? said Spencer Babcock, a student from Salt Lake City majoring in sculpture. ?The possibilities range from designing movie sets to creating park monuments or working as an architect?s consultant. I eventually want to teach. Teaching will give me an opportunity to learn about and experience different fields.?
Money is a concern for an artist just as it is for anyone else. Babcock said many members of the church wonder if it is even possible to provide for a family as an artist.
?It?s true that artists have less of a chance to make it big and become super rich,? Babock said. ?But I feel that with the number of people who create inappropriate art to shock people, the Lord needs more artists on his side. If you are persistent, you can make a good living.?
Pam Bowman, a 51-year-old graduate student of fine arts, said it took her years to discover that art was what she really wanted to do. Her master?s exhibit ?Perennial,? is on display in the bottom floor of the Harold B. Lee Library.
?I plan to continue doing exhibits after I graduate,? Bowman said. ?I already have a few shows lined up, and I?m sending proposals to additional venues.?
Brian Christensen, assistant professor of art, said artists from the world?s most competitive art scenes feel that BYU?s student work is as competitive and progressive as anywhere.
?Our fine arts graduates include the financial executive of BYU?s Museum of Art, professional 3D animators, experienced architects and even two sculptors who mold dinosaurs for the paleontology industry,? Christensen said. ?BYU?s problem is that we are a bit isolated from large art centers where the students could be seen more easily.?
Babcock agreed with his professor that there are differences between BYU and other schools.
?As a transfer student from the San Francisco Art Institute, I think that conceptual artistic ideas could be pushed here a little more,? Babcock said. ?At the same time I feel that BYU is preparing artists who can make a living and also enjoy life. My education is greatly enhanced by being able to talk about the gospel in my classes; it is so much a part of who I am and that in turn influences my work.?