Would it be considered illogical to pursue a career in art while I attend college due to the fact that the world seems to be focused on technological and scientific advances as opposed to artistic abilities?

Hi Kelsi,

That's a great question. It does seem to be a very technological world these days. But there is still a great demand for creative people to make things more fun and pleasant to interact with. There are many different types of art to pursue so you'll probably want to have good foundations and look into some specific fields that interest you. The entertainment industry is a great way to combine art and technology; whether that's in video games, film, television, books, etc.

But it's not a bad idea to have skills and explore other fields of interest while thinking about your art career. For example, I majored in biology in my undergrad and ended up getting a job in IT management after university. I worked that job full time while I pursued a master of fine arts degree in illustration. Now I've worked in the video games industry for over 10 years and I love it.

There isn't always a direct path from where you are to where you want to be. You don't have to completely give up on your art dream to make a living. But sometimes you do need to be practical and work a stable job until you can find what you're really looking for. All of these experiences will help to inform your vision as an artist.

Hey, not to totally discourage you but I am going to tell you the truth. It's hard. Period. Being an artist. Yes, you can pursue other careers or get involved in a technological backup plan but there's one question, what do you want? Do you really want to be a website programmer or a biologists? Time is the key. Being an artist is different for everyone but you should be involved in the art field no matter what you decide as a "day" job. Right now you might not know at all or of course, worry about money. The artist that works at Zynga, sure, sounds great but not easy to get to that position and all the hard work he had to do to get there. For an Artist you need skills. Experience, time. Practice, practice and more practice. What kind of artists? A painter? Video game designer, comic books, a lot to choose from. Do you have a natural ability to draw? A talent that has always been there? To paint? I have done so many jobs but always eventually led back to an art path. Along my way, I have figured out and tried on multiple artistic hats to see what is more me. Some for fun, some for experience, others for money. You can create art for fun, hobby but to be a professional artist, it's about desire and dedication to your craft. Like an actor, you have to be in the moment, entirely and into what you do. I have made money and other times, not. If you can breath without making art and it really drives you then there's your answer. A lot of people fall into art and have some good luck along the way to get a position that others struggle for. Learn, experience. practice. More practice, experience, explore. Go see art. Not in books or online, but in Europe, Germany, Italy, wherever. Galleries, walkways, museums, street shows, find your place. Working at certain companies is great but in the end, are you really pushing your artistic heart to create or just getting along in your day? I push myself to the limits of how much coffee I can drink, joking, but the point is to do what you're passionate about. Period. Don't let money or anything else stop you, there's not enough real artists out there. Cheers and I hope this helps, walk into the ocean, see where it will lead.

If you have a real passion for art, I would still pursue art, because (and I speak from experience) it will pursue you. But remember the art field is really broad, and you'd be surprised how much art there is in technology; think about the design of websites, or the physical design or "look" of the machines we use--cellphones, tablets, computers, and so on. The engineers are not responsible for how they look, graphic designers and product designers (artists) are.

Or, to think about it from another view point, no matter how technological our world gets, we will still need the arts. They may not be valued as much as science and technology is at the moment, but a world without at is a world most people would NOT want to live in.

There are careers where artists can make a decent (not an extravagant) living--graphic designers, product designers, photographers, fashion designers and a whole range of other designers, and teachers. Talk to your art teacher, your guidance counselor or even administrators at your local Art School for some more ideas.

I can honestly say that my mother thought I was being illogical or perhaps impractical is the word. I went to art school anyway after graduating with a 4 year degree in English. Once out of college I realized that teaching English was not something I really wanted to do. I went back to undergraduate school and took only art courses for 3 years and then I went on to receive my MFA in painting. Upon graduation I realized that getting a job in the "art" field (wanted to teach college level art) was beyond difficult. At that time there were no computers, nothing to Google, and finding other avenues than teaching was much harder. I was married at the time and needed to get a job, so I went in to industry/manufacturing. I did my art on the side showing at various group shows throughout the country. Art was my part time job for 35 years as I stayed in manufacturing until I retired. What I am getting at is that you can always make time for art if you do not find some career that uses your art skills and passion. If you are really passionate about art, you realize it is who you are and nothing can stop you from doing what you love to do. Today there are so many opportunities out there easily Googled or found on LinkedIn etc. My advise is to follow your gut - your passion. There are always ways to find work to help support what you love to do.