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I guess not many of you know that I have a … pretty hard time with school.
I am a Swiss student aiming for an art education paper. AKA art teacher. I’ve been having problems for years alone with the direction of my art. YOu see, many people here think fantasy (and everything related) sucks. I got a direct quote from an art teacher saying that fantasy sucks and that fantasy drawing style, including the ability to draw a horse without a reference and within minutes was bad, no, was crap. Said teacher insisted that this should be done by using google and tracing from a print via lighttable. Similar teacher from similar school also said I painted like HR Giger (yes, Alien). Next teacher said that my usage of rainbow colors on an Abalone shell was wrong. And then they picked on my grades.
I sat down and I thought it over. I knew with what fools and narrowminds I was to deal with if I continued my education. But I wanted to go on, as much as said accusations on top had made me very bitter. I didnt want another student to end up with such a moron. And the only way I knew I could help it was to have my own fingers in it, to become an art teacher. To survive and prevent a prejudgement I drew a line between school and private life. Noone, especially the teachers, was to know of my secrets. AT the same time I went to a school that nearly made me insane. Big mouth talking of deep sense theories on random black lines scribbled over a trash paper. No basics such as human anatomy, use of color, still life, perspective, usage of machines and other craft methods (if you are wondering what we are to teach our future students… so am I). It was at some points unbearable, but my family, boyfriend and friends encouraged me, so did my idols(John Howe) and the fact that my “crap” still sold online. I have an official 5 (okay, 4.6 ) years to go. Of this duration 3 years are Bachelor of Arts and after that the Master of Arts. I am starting year 3 monday.
If you wonder, other countires (EU) were said not to be valid paperwise here in Switzerland. Or I’d be long since studying in Germany, where my boyfriend lives.
According to them after the Bachelor of arts we could enrule in whichever school we wanted(like go to Germany) or continue in the one we were.
What we did not know was that there is this new school system. Called the Bologna system(not spaghetti). Our school tried to fiddle our paper to make it as much compatible with other schools and every friggin art durection possible that. When we enruled, in fact, up to one year after, they were still speculating (yes, thats what you do with shares) that all would be approved by the federation of Switzerland. Well they didnt. Suddenly our Bachelor of ARts is worth… nothing. in EU and Switzerland. But no our school cant tell us directly, because until they are a fully 2349% sure they’ll just let it slip here and there and praise a non existant paper. After some screaming and yelling they admit they will do their best to make the Bachelor valid for the new Master system. And quoting them “as soon as the Master of ARts will ne approved by the federation”. Then they go on saying that they will have a fully exclusive Master of ARts with a special exam to approve us (now— if we will be it) as soon as they figured what to ask in the exam. Because, if you are still following me, you may recall that we learned nothing.
Now ususally you’d go running and glueing and coloring up the directors office (now, we are all adults so we behave) IF there was a director. Well, officially there is, but let me tell you, I’ve been at this school since fall 2005 and I’ve never seen him. Not in the welcoming and not in the obligatoire lessons. He was always having the fluebronchitis and relaps of the flue and returning bronchitis and then he caught cold but well we until today dont know WHAT the heck he has. He’s not there, and an unofficial but reliable source says he has one year more to live (yes he does exist) and another says that school knew that before they hired him two years ago. But according to my latest email he still has the flue.
Well, we have a new one now. A cool one who answers our letters without giving a real answer or solution and not even a “sorry”. He also answers two months after we asked him formally to answer.
yes this is a funny post. Its the only way that I wont run and rip my hair until someone locks me up in a rubber cell. In fact I am amazed how I can make fun of something so serious and threatening… wasted money and wasted years… the truth is I dont know wheter I should laugh or cry. I dont know what can be done against all this but hope for better… or a wonder.
It makes me rage because on the first day of school I called my best friend and told her I felt I was at the wrong place. A few days later I told myself that for the paper I’d sit and smile like an idiot and be silent about what means a lot to me.
Here goes the final joke:
I may not even have a paper at all.
I may just aswell start from the beginning.
Or win the lotto.
Why am i writing this? I dont know… to give you an idea what I am… experiencing and why I may be behaving different/snappy/weird sometimes. Or most likely to have this written down because its 3 am here and I left my last chocolate bars at Eurofurence and my head will explode if I lay down with all this thoughts.
There’s nothing I can do and most likely nothing you can do. Well, i could count my stuff and sue school with a lawyer… yes some of my schoolfriends are considering or ,according to rumours, have done so.
Anyhow, goodnight all and thanks for listening. Knowing that others know whats going on already helps…greets
Aky
Yes, and I imagine the post could’ve been longer!
Poor Akeyla! I have never understood intolerance in teachers, in anything. Just because you don’t agree with something, or even like it, doesn’t mean it isn’t a valid point of view. And in art, certainly, you would think many different points of view would be covered. Ack.
If I could help, I would! (To clarify, by paper, do you mean degree?)
*Hot chocolate* & *hugs*. I think you have tremendous talent, and hopefully you will end up with the paper you’ve earned & deserve.Sound off all you want we are always willing to listen when needed. I hope being able to sound off helped. It sounds like your education system is not willing to change or get it’s act together which is a shame
Tracing a picture on a light box is not art, its copying. Is there no way that any of the other schools will at least give you partial credit of the courses you’ve taken. Some in Canada will even do that based only on your portfolio. At least that way you can start over but not totally from the beginning again.
Hang in there, you’re a wonderful artist and I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you find a good solution.
And I am a huge Giger fan, I think his work is remarkable if somewhat disturbing to others.
I’m so sorry… 🙁 It does seem sometimes like a university can do whatever they want to you. They can treat you however they please, make you “learn” useless garbage, make you jump through flaming hoops for what seems like no reason at all, and insult you on top of all that… because they know that after a while you have too much invested to leave. It’s like faculty with tenure, they’re in for the long haul so how they’re treated doesn’t really matter.
Akeyla, I sincerely hope everything gets better soon. It will all be worth it when you have your paper. Take it and run, and don’t look back except to remember exactly what you WON’T do to your own students!
Lots of encouragement and happy thoughts!!!
Mensch, Aky, I knew it was bad but I didn’t know it was that bad! If there’s anything at all I can do to help, let me know, even if it’s just a SihlCity meet so you can vent in person.
WOW!! 😯 That is crap! Maybe you should check out other schools there, there has got to be more than one!! Even if they have changed the degree requirements, they should still be able to give you at LEAST a list of courses completed with your final grades, in Canada it’s called an academic transcript that is good for any instiution in Canada, sometimes beyond. I also know through my own researches that most schools will look at a prospective students portfolio and can and often do (here at least) award class credit based upon demonstrated skill, as long as you CAN prove that you did indeed produce your artwork.
As for taring and feathering the admin offices, go for it! That’s got nothing to do with being an adult! I would say that you and all the other students have the right to at this point!!
Good luck! and don’t worry about venting here we understand!
GUIDO!!! *Louis* WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO!
Cat: “We now get to take out the entire education system in Switzerland…”
Louis/Guido: “Sweet”
LMAO
That is terrible! I can only imagine how you feel. I know how bad I felt after having to start a new degree, but to have the degree you already worked on not count??? I would def sue! And egg cars… I hope you get your degree since its impossible to get your time back. As for the instructors opinions on what is art, you are doing the right thing, I think. Grin and bear it. They are probably just spouting off what they were taught. When you are a teacher, you can fix the next generation. Good luck!!
Nirvanacat13 wrote:GUIDO!!! *Louis* WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO!
Cat: “We now get to take out the entire education system in Switzerland…”
Louis/Guido: “Sweet”
LMAO
Hahaha! Hop on over, you two! My family is having our own fight with the school system, so if you’d just like follow through with that… 😆 😆
Greater Basilisk wrote:Nirvanacat13 wrote:GUIDO!!! *Louis* WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO!
Cat: “We now get to take out the entire education system in Switzerland…”
Louis/Guido: “Sweet”
LMAO
Hahaha! Hop on over, you two! My family is having our own fight with the school system, so if you’d just like follow through with that… 😆 😆
Wow, we’re going to need a lot of bleach…and body bags 🙂
Yeah, I would try to get at least part credit in another school. Don’t waste your time there anymore, you might end up resenting art altogether! If your stuff sells online, then you’re on the right track. Don’t give up!
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