Should I Be Here? Fine Art and Institutional Learning

An education in the arts requires personal exploration that often takes place as much outside of school as within. Recently, the Vanguard talked to a number of artists and organizers regarding their experience in school, critically examining the system and posing the question: “Is a college degree a relevant way to enter the art world?”

Harrell Fletcher, artist and founder of www.learningtoloveyoumore.com and PSU’s Art and Social Practice program

Daily Vanguard: What was your institutional education like?

Harrell Fletcher: K–12 public school, sort of like minimum security prison for kids; Humboldt State University for three years. I only took classes that seemed interesting to me, some were great, some were sort of standard—in general, it was a relief to be out of high school and away from home. Transferred to San Francisco Art Institute and took a lot of photo classes for a year so that I could graduate; worked with a few great teachers like Reagan Louie and Jim Goldberg. Two years later I went to grad school at California College of the Arts for two years. Worked with some other great teachers like Larry Sultan and Lynn Kirby and got in trouble a lot for trying to reform the school—it was an interesting education through opposition. Two years after that I went to UC Santa Cruz to do the Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture and Sustainable Food Systems program; they worked us hard and I loved every minute of it.

DV: What did you find the most useful about school?

HF: I liked the libraries a lot.

DV: What learning experiences outside of school did you find most beneficial?

HF: Road trips, hiking trips, working on farms, swimming in rivers and the ocean, talking with friends, making books and zines, volunteering at a place called Creativity Explored in San Francisco, which is an art center for people with developmental disabilities.

DV: What would you change about the state school system? About classroom learning? What doesn’t work?

HF: I’d make it more like The Highlander Folk School. I think it is important to leave the classroom as much as possible and find out what’s going on in the out-of-classroom-world. I like to concentrate on making things work rather than worrying about what doesn’t work.

DV: Do you have any advice for students pursuing a career in the arts?

HF: Go to all of the PSU MFA Monday Night Lecture Series lectures.
 

Judy Fleming, recent college grad and founder of the arts organization Public Social University

DV: What was your institutional education like?
 
Judy Fleming: My institutional education was varied. I went to [Portland Community College], Marylhurst and Portland State University and studied psychology and art primarily. I have had many kinds of teachers. The classes that I have enjoyed the most have employed engaged pedagogy.
 
DV: What did you find the most useful about school?
 
JF: How to make connections with people and remain engaged is really useful. I have learned just as much from the students that I have sat next to as the teachers who have taught me. I always kind of joke about how one of the best classes I ever took was a class on African history at PCC Cascade. This is funny to me because it was such a large workload and was completely removed from my requirements, but I learned so much relevant material. I felt really confused about what would be the best thing to study, because I wanted to make ceramics, and I was interested in art in a different way than purely studio work. I also felt really art damaged by critiques. My counselor at PCC told me to stop taking ceramics, and I finally fell into art and social practice at PSU. There, I finally felt something drop in for me as far as art school. I felt like I could finally latch onto an art form that gave the work more importance as I could start connecting my art practice to social change. I suppose that was a great thing to learn. When you give more relevance to your work it feels more complete, and has the opportunity to change people and situations around you, it also gives your work an opportunity to be more fun, and that is important too.
 
DV: What learning experiences outside of school did you find most beneficial?
 
JF: Public Social University, of course, has been a great big learning experience. Through Public Social University I have learned a lot about organization, public speaking, collaboration, non-profit accounting and grassroots fundraising, how to ask people to participate in something great, how to say yes, and how to say no to invitations. I have also learned a lot from tutoring immigrant and refugee youth for the past two years, the kids that I have worked with are so humble and kind and have gone through so much in their short lives. Oh yeah, and travel is a really important learning tool, it helps you gain outside perspective on a lot of things.
 
DV: What would you change about the state school system? About classroom learning? What doesn’t work?
 
JF: College professors don’t have to be endorsed in teaching in order to teach at college level. I think this is a problem, as many professors don’t understand how to teach at varying levels to challenge students who are more advanced at the subject (known as differentiated learning). I also think that teachers should take into account different learning styles besides auditory, linguistic and some visual. It’s hard for someone who is a kinesthetic or naturalistic learner to sit in a lecture hall for two-plus hours; I don’t think a lot of teachers think about that. I also think students need to be challenged more to go outside of their comfort zones. All too often we are asked to recite, memorize and then perform for an exam. This kind of learning just doesn’t work. What does work is asking each other questions, really examining structures and systems and building foundations for relationships in the “real world.” I have also really fantasized about having a school without chairs or clocks in circular shaped buildings heated and cooled with geothermal and rooftop gardens…but that might just be wishful thinking. 
 
DV: Do you have any advice for students pursuing a career in the arts?
 
JF: I suppose my advice would be to remain engaged, ask questions and be brave. Failures can lead to greater successes. And…don’t let discouraged people discourage you.

Marc Moscato, director and founder of the arts and culture organization The Dill Pickle Club
 
DV: What was your institutional education like?

Marc Moscato: My public elementary schooling and private schooling in high school was in the suburbs of New York state. I got my B.A. in Media Studies at the University of Buffalo in 1998, and my M.S. in Arts and Administration at the University of Oregon in 2003.
 
DV: What did you find the most useful about school?

MM: Institutional schooling allows for an encouraging environment and time to test out ideas.

 
DV: What learning experiences outside of school did you find most beneficial?

MM: My internship at Squeaky Wheel, a media access center in Buffalo, NY was life-changing. Another great experience was running a venue out of a basement during grad school. I would also encourage doing internships and practicums as much as possible while in school. Go out and make your own opportunities and don’t be afraid to apply theory to real world situations by getting involved in the community. Portland is calling you.

DV: What would you change about the state school system? About classroom learning? What doesn’t work?
 
MM: Tuition. There are thousands of young people going into serious debt. I also think that students should get serious about the real world after school. It would be great if teachers were willing to learn more from students. Bill Ayers’ “To Teach” is an excellent book.

DV: Do you have any advice for students pursuing a career in the arts?

MM: There are too many students and too few jobs. Be open to opportunities that come your way outside the discipline.