Art degree and feeling so stuck in life

[DreamingofSummerSun]

Recently I have been feeling totally and utterly stuck re my career and what on earth I want to do.

I'm nearly 40 and have been working as a part time special Ed teaching assistant for many years now, I also do some freelance illustration work alongside this but recently have found getting illustration commissions a struggle.... Just recently been thinking I need a change and more of a challenge in my life, I just have no idea where to start, so I end up doing nothing....

I have an Illustration degree and ideally want to use this somehow... in the past I have taught a couple of art/craft to adults and enjoyed this but not sure I would be up for teaching Children.

I love helping others, arts/crafts, generally being creative. Im a bit of a perfectionist, but tend to doubt myself with new situations, which is why I think I have been stuck in an unfulfilling job for so long....

Wondering if careers advice could help me, or am I too old for this?

Any advice on career change in your 40s, or what on earth to do with an Arts degree would be much appreciated!

Thanks so much

I believe careers advice is available to all. Maybe contact your local council office for signposting? Ours is a via a skills hub. If you want to stay with art it’s going to limit you a bit. My DD has just retrained to do Interior Design after a Fashion degree some years earlier. So a related career but different. Lots of computer program use!

I think you can also do tests that analyse you and what might suit you. DDs did the Morrisby test at school but there might be others for adults.

Can you translate your illustration skills to work on commercial illustration & web design? There is a huge demand for good quality digital design skills.

Thanks, yes think I will look I to some careers advice locally.

I'm totally open to other careers outside of Art but feel like this is mostly where my skills set is.

Interior design sounds interesting actually.
I think I would struggle with just being freelance though as it's a worry you won't get enough work coming in.

DD isn’t freelance. She’s employed. Loves the variety of projects. She doesn’t do cushions and curtains. It’s about use of space and making the best of it. So she works with Architects and builders. Can be commercial or residential.

We have a couple of small companies round here who offer art and craft events for adult birthday parties, hen nights, girlie bonding evenings, women's club nights etc. They hire a room in a pub or whatever and bring all the equipment for a set project -be it painting seascapes, making a wreath, making something with clay etc.

You'd be well qualified to offer that kind of thing.

MintJulia I have been dabbling with more digital stuff in terms of my illustration style but hadn't actually thought of marketing it for web design. Definitely something to look into, thanks

Have you considered licensing your illustrations, so that companies can use your designs on their products? Or signing up with agencies who can bid for work on your behalf? I appreciate these aren’t careers as such but they can lead to an in-house designer role, or at least be good income streams to prop up any re-training you choose to do for an alternative career.

Tizerorfizz ah that's interesting, sounds like a great job! Will certainly look into this too, thanks so much

If you like being with/working with people, are there some local venues that you could partner with to offer one of those “have a glass of wine/nibbles and paint a picture”?

they seems quite popular. I’ve been to one in a cafe, one in a pop up events space in an old factory (very trendy).

Have you considered art therapy?

Space Candy coconut, this is also a fab idea, I think I would enjoy doing something like that. Shall so some research re this, thank you

HannahBee thankyou. I'm currently represented as an illustrator by an agency, they market my work and I have had plenty of licensing work through them in the past but it has been really quiet work wise with my illustrating recently. I'm thinking maybe my work isn't on trend anymore....or perhaps I need to get myself a new agent....

Surfsenior I hadn't thought of this type of setup, I like the idea of working with local business, thanks!

am I too old for this? gains an automatic direction to the Mature Study and Retraining board, here:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/mature_students

I recall there’ve been one or two artists of one sort or another, though I don’t remember the outcomes of those threads.

But no, you’re not too old to remake a career. I don’t know how useful the National Careers Service might be on your particular occupation - but they do offer one to one advice as well as a vast amount of info.

To be clear, DD did a diploma course to change career. But she needed to make a change. It’s important to know how to make a change when you have decided what direction to take.

The university you did your degree in might be able to offer careers advice in their careers service as an alumni if you are willing to pay for it

Would your daughter do an AMA on here? I'd love that!

@determinedtomakethiswork
Probably not. Is there anything you particularly want to know?