Applying in 12 and need advice/help!!

[brown06]

Hey there, I am applying to MFA programs this fall, in the meantime I have enrolled at Brandeis' post bacc program. I have very few art courses on my undergrad transcript and wanted my art to be able to be pushed and grow before going to my mfa.

I am really new to this all. Ive been working on contenders for my portfolio like a madperson, painting nonstop.

here is my website and portfolio is in there.

www.doraeliaruiz.com

i really dont know what art schools look for beyond some cohesiveness and whatnot. I mean in light of my "style" what schools should i look into?

Some info: i am only interested in painting. I dont at all like schools like SMFA (got into their post bacc with lots of aid, but turned it down bc i hated the schools concept and the location), I lived in nyc for 3 years and refuse to look at any schools there, I think its far too hard to live in the day to day, too many other stressors, the art scene there is NOT my thing or style, feels very avante garde.

artists that inspire me are miro, kandinsky,

and without sucking my soul out from me, do you think my work has what it takes to get into any mfa's? Very worried reading posts on here about how many years people keep applying and getting fully rejected. Plus my work does NOT resemble any one else's....

Ideally Id love to a state art school with a great reputation and funding or tuition remission b/c this brandeis post bacc aint cheap

[losemygrip]

You know, I wasn't holding out hope when I went to your website because your background sounded like a Sunday painter. However, your paintings have a "primitive verve" that I kind of like.

I perceive a couple of problems:

Your negative attitude towards anything not painting. Don't ever let on about that. Just talk about how committed you are to paint without mentioning anything else.

The naive quality of your work. There's almost an outsider-artist feel to some of it. On the one hand, it's good you haven't been forced into the typical mold by going through the BFA curriculum. On the other hand, it's not good that you don't have the knowledge and sophistication about art as would someone with a BFA. Or am I just assuming? You don't really talk about exactly what your background is, so you sound sort of like a Sunday painter who has decided to get an MFA, rather like a contemporary Gauguin. I have had very bad luck with those.

In a case like yours, admission is a crapshoot. Just apply to schools that you think you'd like and see what happens.

[brown06]

Not a sunday painter, have been painting seriously for over 10 years, either way my post bacc is going to help with my art education that i missed out on. Brandeis is a highly regarded intensive post bacc program. i dont even GET what makes me sound like a sunday painter in my summary or bio, other than i didnt major in art or go to an art specific school. Ive known many painters who went through the hoops gotten a bfa and dont produce/work/paint 1/10th of as much as I do.

[losemygrip]

i really dont know what art schools look for beyond some cohesiveness and whatnot.

i am only interested in painting.

the art scene there is NOT my thing or style, feels very avante garde.

artists that inspire me are miro, kandinsky,

These are the things that kind of sound like an amateur. Sounds like, "I just LOVE painting, but I really don't care much for contemporary art--it's so ugly and complicated. Why can't they be bright and cheerful like Miro?"

I'm not saying that's really you, I'm just saying that's the impression one can get.

I do think that grad committees will look with some skepticism on an applicant without a BFA. You'll need a great portfolio, and great recommendations from serious people who will be able to convince the committee that you're the real deal and not a dabbler. And honestly, if you don't like "avant-garde," you should probably just skip grad school. You're going to be expected to THINK avant-garde, even if it's not directly reflected in your work. You're going to have to justify your work's place (intellectually) in the contemporary world. Very few programs are going to allow you to "just paint."

[brown06]

ok well your assumption that bc i am new to art academia and the politics of the art world that I am just a "sunday painter" is really ridiculous. Many dedicated artists are self-taught and not influenced by mainstream art. Like my post said, i am NEW to this, this being the

"insider" mainstream art world--not "this" being my craft. Take your elitist politics elsewhere.

oh and BTW, I went to Brown and took several art courses at RISD, that's my background.

[brown06]

other than that, thanks for your advice on everything else.

[Eigen]

Good grief- he's trying to help you by pointing out how you're coming across, and how that will effect other people (including admission committees) views of you.

He's said over and over that he's not saying that's "you", just how you're coming across. It's useful advice.

[varioussmallfiresandmilk]

A. your defensiveness should be taken down about 10 notches. losemygrip is giving you solid advice and is clearly trying to help.

B. individuals who completely disregard all forms of art besides painting are very unattractive, unless that individual has an extremely convincing theoretical disposition as to why painting is all that deserves attention... if you are judging art solely according to your aesthetic opinions, you should revise your tactics. unless, of course, you have solid theoretical backing for doing so. purely optical judgements on art have not been well received art historically since duchamp, and frankly, it is offensive (and irritating) to artists who are working in a much deeper conceptual and intellectual environment (the professors and administration who will be reviewing your applications) to do so. this is not to say that you cannot work predominantly with paint. painting has complex philosophies, arguments, and sub-genres; but to be capable of adding to that dialogue, you need to better understand what art is in its contemporary state. that contemporary state has a much broader spectrum then oil on canvas, like it or not.

C. it is great that you are determined and working hard, but if your work is solely aimed at visually impressing grad school review committees, they will see right through it. you should be working equally as hard, if not harder, at developing cohesive intellectual reasoning and a conceptual basis for your work. without this, i think you will be hard-pressed to find quality grad schools interested in offering you admission. that being said, i definitely think that your work, with an open mind and some further knowledge in contemporary art history, will be able to take you to the level you are seeking. obviously you have the mental capacity (brown is no slouch), but i think your biggest opposition (from the minimal observation ive had), is going to be your stubborn/arrogant attitude towards art and your over-the-top defensiveness. art education is thoroughly based in critique.

[brown06]

i have a backbone, there could be worse. Also I dont like terms like "naive" and "sunday painter" and "primitive" basically outsider artists find it offensive past 20th century. I am not only looking to impress the committee, I am more concerned with my craft, but if I say that then I get hassled about being an outsider and not concerned with how the art world perceives my work. I am open to criticism and I thanked him for his advice and to be completely frank I am a HFA (high functioning autistic) and my brutish way of stating things really throws people off but it is not intended to be some war of words. I try to work on that but seriously its hard when you feel like u speak an entirely different language from the rest of the world.

I am getting a life coach this fall who can perhaps help with social crap like that/this

[brown06]

also i dont disregard all forms of art, in any sense, youll see on my portfolio i also do digital illustrations, i also do some woodworking, upholstering, appliques, bookbinding, playwriting (honors at Brown) the works. I am a painters painter in that I REALLY want to focus on my painting now, and want a department that will allow that--of course I'd do other things and incorporate it, I have and will.

[brown06]

look if my portfolio seems to have potential, I am happy. I admittedly have much to learn and up for it.