Professional Preparation for First Year Students

ART 1450 Design II Lecture

Professional Preparation:

It’s never to early to plan

for your future…

Handouts

Professional Preparation

What I wish I knew in my first year of College…

Professional Preparation

Artist Professional Survival Kit with Betty Hart

Essential Tools:

WebsiteBusiness Cards

RésuméArtist StatementSmall notebookWork InventoryFiling SystemMailing List

Thank you notes

Essential Tools:

Website

Essential Tools:

Clear, easy to navigate

Up-to-date

Appropriate content (keep the personal and professional separate)

Business Cards

Essential Tools:

Keep some with you AT ALL TIMES!

Make them as creative as your work.

Keep contact info clear.

Professional email account.

Résumé

Essential Tools:

Continually update!

Different versions for different purposes.

Be creative with it!(evidence of the hand, your work,

collaborate/trade)

Artist Statement

Essential Tools:

Continually update!

Different versions for different purposes.

“Grandmother Test” (Would your grandmother understand what it means?)

Small Notebook

Essential Tools:

Keep with you AT ALL TIMES!

Never know when you need to quickly jot something down:

Contact info, random idea/sketch, etc.

Inventory Information

Essential Tools:

Continually update!

Quality images of ALL completed work.

Title, Dimensions, Completion Date, Materials, Processes, Exhibition

History, Price, Current Location, etc.

Filing System

Essential Tools:

Physical and/or digital.

Personally determine categories:StudioOffice

ResearchTravelEtc.

Mailing List

Essential Tools:

Physical and/or digital “addresses”

Send year-end holiday card as a way to maintain networks?

Different categories:PR

Holiday mailingSuppliers

Fellow alumniEtc.

Thank You Notes

Essential Tools:

High quality stationary (Crane, etc.)

Handwritten note is even more impactful now!

Networking Tips:

How to professionally connect with others in your field once you are out “in the world” on your own…

Networking Tips:

It might not be what you think:It should be done with integrity and sincerity…

Resources

Networking Tips:

Professional OrganizationsTake a class

Alumni AssociationsVolunteer

Getting “your foot in the door” is the most difficult step…volunteering can help this

happen!

How to Make the Most of Connections:

Networking Tips:

Start local.

Appropriately maximize every contact.

“If at once you don’t succeed, try try again!”

Maintain & utilize mailing lists.

Follow up! (do what you say you will do!)

What’s your Plan?:

Networking Tips:

Where are you andwhere do you want to go?

Geographically

Professionally

Reputation-level(regional/national/international)

How to Keep Creating:

How to Keep Creating:

Devote at least 10 minutes to your creative activity EVERY DAY!

How to Keep Creating:

If you can’t spare 10 minutes a day, then your creative activity is simply not

a priority in your life!

Devote at least 10 minutes to your creative activity EVERY DAY!

How to Keep Creating:

You define whatever counts as your “creative activity”:

SketchingShooting images

Collecting images onlineWriting

Blogging

Devote at least 10 minutes to your creative activity EVERY DAY!

How to Keep Creating:

But it must be PRODUCING something not just CONSUMING:

Just sitting around, listening to music, or watching videos or playing games

doesn’t count!

Keep an ongoing reading list

How to Keep Creating:

Books, articles, online journals, etc.

Set aside time to read EVERY WEEK, if not every day!

Keep a personal bibliography/notes

Keep current in your field

How to Keep Creating:

Attend local exhibitions/openings

Read relevant periodicals EVERY MONTH! (subscribe, library)

Attend annual conference (plan ahead & save money)

Maintain deadlines

How to Keep Creating:

Personally set

Externally set (continually enter exhibitions & competitions)

Remember, no more homework assignments to keep you busy…

Keep Building Your Résumé

How to Keep Creating:

Exhibitions

Workshops

Volunteer activities

Large gaps in résumé demonstrate lack of commitment to your work

Good Luck out there!