And Love the Bomb
Last November I visited The Center for Cartoon Studies for their Portfolio Day, and my life has been in turmoil ever since. Here’s why…
Before discovering the school, I was resting on the laurels of my BFA. This mostly consisted of trying to learn more about the art world, as well as applying for grants and the occasional residency/exhibition (usually unsuccessfully). I frequently felt as though I was treading water.
Sometimes I contemplated going back to school, but none of the MFA programs I looked into really excited me enough to commit.
As much as I enjoy contemporary art, I didn’t enjoy trying to make work that would be suitable for most galleries. When it came time to sit down to my drawing board next to the fridge, I only wanted to draw comics. And while comics have been gaining increasing respect in the art world, they are often still regarded as a kind of sideshow.
The Center for Cartoon Studies offers an MFA program focussing on things in which I am endlessly interested. To name a few: comics, cartoons, design, history, narrative, printmaking, self-publishing, etc. But there were two problems with this plan: 1) CCS is not accredited (though it has been given the state’s authority to offer MFA degrees) 2) I am poor.
The weekend I spent in Vermont was fantastic, thanks largely to the welcoming CCS faculty and students. The school is located in the town (village?) of White River Junction – a place that has recently seen a little more vibrancy and bustle thanks in part to the small but active arts community.
CCS is located in an old department store
As my wife and I drove back to Montreal, I rambled for four hours, still high on the excitement of new possibilities.
But once the voice becomes too hoarse to ramble, a funny thing happens. Reality kicks in. How would I afford it? We were about to move back to Regina; did I want to move again so soon? Does accreditation matter?
When we moved back to Regina, I spent several months waffling on the decision, seeking the advice of anyone who would listen. I even ended up getting a real job and saving money, just in case I would eventually work up the gumption to apply (let alone get accepted) to CCS.
I received a lot of different reactions regarding the school. Most of my peers thought that it was cool (though after explaining it to one artist she just made a face like I used Duchamp’s corpse as a urinal). Academics warned me of the pitfalls of an unaccredited (and therefore useless) degree. Family expressed concerns about me moving. An editor with whom I was working suggested I use my savings to show my work at various comics conferences, conventions and fairs.
Needless to say, I was conflicted.
As I sought advice, positive reactions made me excited beyond description, and negative reactions absolutely crushed me, leaving me sad for days. After repeating this cycle numerous ties, I realized that I had already made up my mind and was only seeking approval.
A friend of mine reminded me that the biggest thing an MFA should give you is lots of studio time to develop something new– to improve your skills and knowledge through hard work and research.
Long story short, I finally finished my application and mailed it this morning.