Alumni paint picture of prosperity Careers in the Visual Arts Symposium aim to inspire

Author: Alexxa Gotthardt

A career in the arts. The phrase is daunting on many levels. It is not often the ideal vision of parents for their child's future. The job market in curation, sculpture, painting, architecture or conservation is anything but concrete. And, finally, there is the issue of the almighty dollar - let us just say not many pursuers of the arts snag a Park Avenue pad in the first few years out of school.

Despite all these worries, however, many Middlebury students go on to tackle various facets of the art world and come up brilliantly victorious. With no interest in investment banking or law school, these students follow their passions and thrive. The success that can come from hours in the studio, over the drafting table or immersed in the works of Warhol and Fra Angelico, was especially apparent this past Saturday at the 10th annual Alumni Symposium: Careers in the Visual Arts, held in the Center for the Arts.

Each year, the History of Art and Architecture department in conjunction with the Middlebury College Museum of Art (MCMA) brings a variety of successful alumni in the arts together in a mini-symposium that aims to inform, encourage and inspire students who hope to pursue a range of arts-related careers after graduation.

This year, Judy Jacobs '78, Asher Nelson '92 and Jason Vrooman '03 took center stage to tell their stories, tracing their respective career paths from their past experiences at Middlebury to their current positions and projects throughout the country. Each had a very different story to tell, but all emphasized the importance of their liberal arts education to their professional achievements.

The morning began with an introduction by Professor of History of Art and Architecture and Acting Director of the MCMA Glen Andres. Andres, who helped spearhead the symposium 10 years ago along with Professor of History of Art & Architecture John Hunisak and other members of the department, spoke enthusiastically of Saturday's panel members, as well as the abundance of distinguished arts alumni dotted around the world. He also emphasized the common ground between these successful professionals and the students - a liberal arts education at Middlebury.

Vrooman, an intern at the National Gallery of Art, first addressed the audience. He revisited his time at Middlebury as a Studio Art and Psychology major, his internship at the MoMA, his experience as a graduate student at Williams, his opportunity to conserve one of Jackson Pollack's most seminal works and, finally, his current position as intern in the department of French Paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. While he has already made many calculated decisions in his career path and has built a resumé that would impress even the most prestigious museums, he candidly declared that his next step was anything but decided. The reason: there are too many choices.

"When you are making [career] choices don't be daunted by a variety of options," said Vrooman. "Don't be afraid if your goals change over time; there will always be opportunities out there."

Jacobs, Senior Conservator of the National Park Service, also spoke to the value of exploring many different, unconventional opportunities in the art world. She claimed that the majority of her most defining opportunities came from the twists and turns of fate. She did not seek out her diverse experiences, but was willing to undertake any interesting project that came her way. After graduating from Middlebury, Jacobs spent two years as a nanny in Germany, during which time she explored the art, architecture and cultures of Europe. She went on to work in the Northwest Territories of Canada, working for Frontiers Foundation building and renovating houses. From there, she took a position as conservator at the National Park Service where she has been for 20 years, working on such significant projects as the Statue of Liberty and the Washington Monument. Jacobs highlighted conservation as her own means of combining her diverse, seemingly incongruous interests - science, art and public service.

"I had no idea you could combine science and art until I found conservation," said Jacobs. "I realized you didn't have to be in a museum to work with art and architecture. You can be in extreme places - in the wilderness or at the top of the Statue of Liberty in a hardhat - and still work with art; art for the broader public."

Ashar Nelson '92, architect and project planner for Breadloaf Corporation, a highly respected architectural firm based in Middlebury, is also a proponent of approaching the art-world from a less-conventional standpoint. During his six years at Middlebury, Nelson faced his fair share of college difficulties that eventually impelled him to take time off - time during which he raised not grades, but houses. His experience in construction not only solidified his desire to pursue a degree in pre-architecture, but also allowed him to develop into a more informed architect.

"You can get really caught up in theoretical ideas [in college]," said Nelson. "The value of seeing how one piece of wood connects to another piece of wood is really important."

After graduation, Nelson worked two more years in construction, earned his graduate degree in Architecture from the University of Oregon and began to work at Breadloaf Corporation. In closing, Nelson stressed the importance of self-motivation in successfully achieving your goals.

"There are different ways to tackle careers," said Nelson, "but self-motivation is common to every path - you have to follow your own desires."

Also included on the panel was Associate Director of the Career Services Office (CSO) Susan Walker. Though CSO is often criticized for neglecting careers other than those in the realms of massive banking corporations and education, Walker spoke of many opportunities for internships, jobs and connections to important arts alumni through CSO.

Their stories were different, their careers, utterly separate, but Vrooman, Jacobs and Nelson all started the beginnings of the rest of their lives at Middlebury. Through common ground built upon the inspiration of great professors, the motivation of peers and the firm backing of a liberal arts education, current students were inspired by the stories of these alumni.

"When President McCardell defined 'the peaks'[of Middlebury], one of the points he talked about was the engagement of the liberal arts with the real world," said Andres. "Through this [symposium], what [the department] is really trying to do is say, 'Hey, there's hope for a life out there for students interested in the arts.'"

As students sifted out of the Saturday symposium, it seemed Andres' aforementioned hopes were realized.

"I feel lucky as an art history major that the department is so concerned with the future of its students. They do a good job at connecting students at different points in their careers, whether it be before or after declaring, going abroad or graduating," said History of Art and Architecture major Bethany Holmes '07. "It was nice hearing different perspectives and approaches to post-graduate life."

Eric Wong '08, a History of Art and Architecture major with a pre-architecture focus, also found the event valuable.

"Events like these are important because they demonstrate the versatility that a liberal arts education offers and that students shouldn't avoid pursuing a career in the arts for fear that they won't find a job," said Wong. "The jobs are out there for people who are willing to work for them."

No careers in the arts? Middlebury and its abundance of successful alumni beg to differ. Maybe that Park Avenue pad is a reality after all. And if not, at least you are following your passion.