Just because I’m an Art major doesn’t mean I color every day

For as long as I can remember, I have absolutely loved art. Therefore it only seemed fitting to pursue my passion during my college years. Luckily for me, my parents enthusiastically and full-heartedly supported my decision to study graphic design in the School of Art and Art History at James Madison University. Never once had I questioned my interest in choosing art as a career. That is until I started to tell other people…

When I inform others that I am an Art major, the response usually follows as, “Oh my gosh, you’re so lucky! What a fun and easy major, I wish I could color everyday!” I still ponder how to respond to such a presumptuous, not to mention ignorant, remark. “Coloring everyday? I wish,” is usually the only thing I can spew out. I suppose it may be due to the clichés and stereotypes of an artist, you know—the starving artist—that accounts for many people discounting art as a college major and more so as a career. Yet, any art major, from graphic design to sculpture, can assure you we most definitely do not spend our four plus years at university “coloring” everyday.

A few of my screen prints, each color requires a separate process and therefore requires about an hour of work

As an Art major completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, I must take a plethora of art history courses, 2-dimensional courses, 3-dimensional courses, computer courses, etc. While some of my courses include painting or drawing classes, I would like to reiterate we do not color our way through college. Some majors must write innumerable papers or give countless presentations. While being an Art major, I have had to present and write papers, my assessments are just much more personal. Instead of turning in a paper where the professor may comment on lack of evidence or grammatical errors, I must endure direct criticisms to my creativity, my thoughts, and my visions. My art comes from within, it is a highly personal major.

A semester’s worth of oil paintings; my class included building and stretching our own canvases

Living with 3 other roommates who study differing majors—anthropology, communications and health sciences—I know every major has its pros and cons, challenging semesters, requirements, etc. My roommates can contest that my major involves the same. In fact they have often times realized how much work an Art major must endure; this is not to say, our work is any more important than any other major, I am just saying we face challenges as well. For example, one project in advanced typography, designing a sustainability report, included over a month’s time of work, from designing the book, buying paper, test printing, and formatting—I spent well over three hours a day on this project for a whole month.

These three hours weren’t spent using crayons to doodle but rather, countless hours and sleepless nights in Adobe Suite hoping for the perfect result. And this was only for one project—most art courses include three to four long-term projects in addition to a final project.

The cover of my sustainability report

A peek into my sustainability report

So to everyone who thought we Art majors were just studying to be professional finger painters, I hope any non-Art majors who previously doubted my four years at college stand corrected. And I hope my fellow Art majors are nodding their heads in agreement. I don’t put down or doubt any other major on campus—I acknowledge everyone’s dedication and hard work.

All I am asking is that everyone else does the same for myself and other Art majors alike.