Going back to Uni - Art School - Retrain - a.k.a. Midlife crisis

[artyfartyfourty]

Has anyone here gone to Art School in their 40s? I already have a degree from the days of yore but secretly I always wanted to go and study Art.... would this be a massively self indulgent and expensive potential error? Would love to hear anyone who has done it, if there were any job opportunities afterwards or if it's just fun whilst it lasts. Prior to this I've been a SAHM for years but the last one small one goes to school in August and I'm really feeling like entering back into adult life again.

Can you really kickstart a new career in your 40s?

Any inspiring/encouraging stories would love to hear 'em

[amberdillyduck]

What career do you intend to go into with an art degree?

[IDismyname]

What kind of Art degree are you looking at?

You will be more employable after completing some, than others!

[littleflowershop]

I have an fine art degree from Central Saint Martins, and trust me, they aren't worth the bit of paper they are written on.

If you are studying art for a personal interest then brilliant but please don't do it if you are looking for a career in it.

My classes were full of talented, ambitious people and not one (including myself) are doing what they envisioned when they decided to do a degree.

[littleflowershop]

*posted too soon!

However, the three years I spent at Art school (four if you count a foundation diploma in art and design, which you will need for most entry requirments even as a mature student) were the best of my life!

[artyfartyfourty]

Hi flowershop! Really great to hear your point of view... what subject did you do, are you a florist now (just because of your user name! i love flowers). Thats not very encouraging to hear that not one of your peers has ended up doing what they thought..despite being from CSM! Gulp. Even though you loved the actual time you were there, if you could do it all over again, would you?

[littleflowershop]

I did fine art, with a specialism of 2d so lots of painting, drawing and photography work. I am retraining in September on a level 2 course in Floristry (another way to utilise my creative tendancies!)

It may be that as 19 year olds we all had over ambitious ideas...for example I wanted to be a curator however didn't factor in that realistically you need an MA afterwards, the ability to speak french and work experience!

A lot of my friends went on to study MAs, the rest are travelling. I think there is a lot of people who want to work in galleries for example, but not a lot of positions available so the criteria for hiring is quite high. But there really is a diverse range of careers you could do with an art degree - art therapy, counselling, teaching, your own business. I think its also quite an intense work load, so greatly aided me in future employment with balancing workloads!!

I would do it all over in a heartbeat, and if at the time I was told that I could have an amazing time studying but may not have the career I wanted, or to study a degree I wasn't interested in and end up in a stable job I would choose the art degree every singly time!!

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

I started one aged 50, also after being a long-term SAHM. It's not retraining, it's just something I was always good at but didn't pursue first time around. The colleges bang on about employability but realistically no one's going to give me a job just because I've done a degree in Fine Art. Even with an MA, same thing applies at my age, and living as I do in the sticks.
If I'm persistent and lucky I might be able to build up to selling work regularly, but I'm conscious it's a pretty saturated market and I may well end up with a large body of unsold work.
I started when my youngest started secondary (circs weren't right to do it before then), and I'd say your stage of life will be easier in some ways bit more difficult in others, but that's not to discourage you. It's challenging and frustrating at times but I'm glad I can now talk about and understand art in so many forms, even if I don't become the next Tracy Emin!

[Wauden]

Just to say, that sounds great, if it is for yourself. But who knows what it could lead to?

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

I studied a degree in another creative subject, with employability in mind, but struggled to establish a career and gave up completely after a few years. I do wonder how things would have turned out if I'd just followed my heart.

[artyfartyfourty]

It's not retraining, it's just something I was always good at but didn't pursue first time around.

Shotgun, this is exactly me too! So delighted to hear that you've gone for it...

Flowershop - thanks for your honeat answer, good luck with the florist training too sounds fab xx

[Fourhorses]

@artyfartyfourty Hey OP did you do it?

[artyfartyf]

@Fourhorses I bloody did!! Came out with a first class degree and have been working as a designer ever since

[Fourhorses]

Wahayy - best thing I’ve read on Mumsnet!

Congratulations:)

More detail please. I’m making the leap…!

[House0ntheHill]

Would I recommend as a subject to enjoy - yes

Would I recommend as a subject that widens your job prospects- no

Can you afford to go ?

Why don't you work & do art in your spare time instead ?

[StellaAndCrow]

Wow that's awesome OP!! I feel very proud of you, despite not knowing you!

Could you say a bit more about what the degree entailed, and what it was like? What were the best bits?

Just so I can live vicariously through your experiences :) :)

[artyfartyf]

@Fourhorses Ahhhh thanks so much! To be honest I'd totally forgotten I'd started this thread so it's been really nice actually to find it again and see that I managed to do what a i wasn't sure I'd even be able to do!

@StellaAndCrow thankyou so much!!

Will reply in a bit more detail to you both...

So I went back to study Graphic Design, learnt all about typography, branding, editorial. I wanted to do something that was creative but also had a clear skillset attached to it that could hopefully make me employable afterwards.

I did go to art school for about 6 months but then dropped out because it was all a bit too conceptual/abstract and I really just wanted to learn some solid technical skills (again the employability thing). So instead of the art school I went to my local community college, which had a really good reputation for their graphics course, and also was very industry focused. The college was only 20 minutes from my house and they were super flexible about letting me leave early to pick up the kids from school etc... which was helpful.

Graduated in 2020 and got my first job pretty quickly after as a junior designer! Was quite a shock to go back to work full time again, but it's been really great overall and I'm just delighted I managed to pull the whole thing off to be honest!!!

[artyfartyf]

@Fourhorses what are you thinking of going to study? Just go for it I would say!!!

[StellaAndCrow]

arty thank you! That's brilliant, and how great that you could do it at your local community college - great idea to focus on skills. And cool that you can become an expert in something new!