The article I chose is called “Why Arts Degrees and Other Generalist Programs are the Future of Australian higher education”. The article challenges the notion that generalist degrees, like a Bachelor of Arts, are inferior to specific qualifications, and the assumption that said degrees lead to joblessness. It highlights how arts degrees lead to jobs, citing research showing an increase in employment among humanities and social science graduates. The traditional idea of “vocations” is deemed outdated, with modern employers valuing problem-solving, digital skills, and adaptability over specific training for one career. In light of global uncertainties like the pandemic, climate change, and technological advancements, there’s a call to redefine “employability” and prepare graduates with adaptable mindsets and transferable skills. The article proposes a shift towards valuing generalist degrees, suggesting they equip students with critical skills like argumentation, emotional intelligence, and teamwork. The power of this article comes in the way of its forward-thinking and reasoning. I completely agree that the humanities are often undervalued and that we need to redefine outdated terms such as “employability” because due to advances in technology and the internet, there are thousands of jobs that exist now that didn’t 20 years ago. Back then and somewhat still today the market and “key to success” demands to become a lawyer, doctor, executive, or some other drone position at a giant conglomerate, with the unorthodox jobs being pushed aside.
Journal # 5
A huge strength of this proposal is the author’s ability to discuss their personal growth and challenges, as well as their integration of said growth into the proposal. The thesis project is framed as a culmination of the author’s learning journey in liberal studies as a discipline, providing an opportunity to apply acquired knowledge and skills to a challenging endeavor. It serves as a test of the author’s ability to engage with complex philosophical concepts independently. I like how the author formats the general layout of the proposal as well, keeping it organized thematically but also including a lot of different points. From a personal standpoint, I hope to show my growth as a designer with my capstone presentation and think that a variety of tools from this proposal could be utilized for inspiration in my project.
Journal #4
QCQ 1 on: Moramraco Speculations
” The idea that poetry and painting exist in separate domains with clearly delineated
boundaries has been under attack throughout the century by both poets and painters
seeking to extend the limits of both arts. “
I think that this quote is extremely relevant in history and today, showing the interplay between two prevalent creative mediums. This idea that each art form is separated by boundaries is in my opinion outdated and inaccurate — as many forms of art have included others for generations (plays including painting, music including poetry, etc. In some cases, I believe that most mediums work better when paired up with a complementary medium to further a message or theme. This is especially efficient when it comes to the painting “Mourning Picture” and the poem of the same name that accompanies it by Adrienne Rich.
QCQ 2 on: Mourning Picture by Adrienne Rich
” Out of my head, half-bursting, still filling, the dream condenses – shadows, crystals, ceilings, meadows, globes of dew. “
This quote in my opinion is an example of why and how combining different media can be efficient and in some cases improve the original work. For example, on its own, “Mourning Picture” as a painting is mysterious, but not riveting – lacking story – and riddled with technical errors having to do with shadow, medium, and composition. The truth is some of it just doesn’t make sense. I didn’t enjoy this painting very much until the poem by Adrienne Rich was introduced. The poem adds a rich story to answer the viewers questions about the painting, and creates a tragic undertone to the melodramatic piece. This example challenges the tradition view mentioned above, exhibiting the allure and purpose of combining these mediums to improve art, poetry, and writing.
Journal #3
One of the most memorable works I’ve done in the past few years at UNE is a blog assignment I did for CMM 240, a social media class. The blog helped me hone my digital media skills and was a semester-long project, which is probably why it’s so meaningful for me.
A work I’m most proud of is an essay I wrote while studying abroad in Morocco. I worked on this piece of writing for a super long time because it delved deeply into my as a person and ended up being a very intimate and emotional story, which explains why I’m so attached to it.
Graphic Design Projects are some of the ones I wish I could re-do the most, because since I’ve taken the class my skills have increased drastically as I’ve found passion in the field and done work in the industry with actual clients. When I did the assignments in the past I lacked technical skills and the time necessary to think in advance about the projects, because I viewed them as school work and not portfolio building opportunities. If I could, I would re-do some of my design work from that class with the skills and knowledge I have today.
I think that looking back upon some of my past work listed above shows clearly how much I cared about each assignment/ topic at the time. For example, I wasn’t interested in graphic design when I started the class, I simply needed the credit as an art major. Therefore, when completing some of the assignments I didn’t care as much as I should have, and looking back on those assignments I’m disappointed because that class ended up inspiring my love for the field and helped me navigate what I wanted to do after graduating. So one thing I notice now about my past work is that it’s obvious how I view/ cared about the assignment at the time that I completed it.
One thing I noticed about my blog project that I’m proud of is how my passion and also skills increased throughout the course of the assignment. Visually, each post looks more polished as I continued throughout the semester, which I’m proud of because it shows that I actually enjoyed creating posts and the process.
UNFINISHED *
Journal #2
For me, the question of “what do you want to do” has always been posed to me as someone working and learning in the humanities. However, I believe that this question subtly has 2 parts that the person asking wants answered; one being what skills do have, and the other being how can I apply those skills in the real world to make money.
This question has taken a lot of exploration for me to understand, but finally as a senior I do have an answer after refining it over the years based on my interests. I knew I was always interested in art, so technically I have a lot of “hard” skills when it comes to creating. There was always a disconnect for me however that stemmed from the fact that I didn’t want to sell my work and be creating traditional art all the time. As I embraced and realized my love for travel, different cultures, food, and linguistics, I have learned to value what makes us human and how we connect, as well. I knew that I wanted to work with people, and did not want to be bound to a desk my whole career.
What I want to do after school combines two subjects I’m studying; anthropology, and art & design. User Experience Design (UX) is what I’m going for, and notice how it’s not traditional by any means. It’s a position that I stumbled across when I was lost, not knowing exactly what I wanted to do. This job works specifically to combine humanistic work such as interviewing and understanding a clients needs/ wants with design and prototyping of a product — something I have been doing since a very young age as an artist.
UX Designers are hired by various companies to optimize products and in turn increase sales and better user experience amongst customers. The job excites me because it includes a lot of desk time and technical skill, but also field work, market research, and interviews to understand clients. I would say that some of the skills I’ve learned regarding design throughout my student career will help with this position, but not all.
Unfortunately, because the Art Department at UNE is so small, courses are limited, and therefore most of the art classes aren’t on design, technology, or UX, they’re on painting, drawing, and traditional art. What I think I will take most out of my time at UNE is my studies in anthropology and the connections I’ve made when it comes to finding a job in UX. While this is a tough reality to face, there is always further education I can complete to essentially tailor my skills learned at UNE into industry standard tools for my future job, which is what I’m excited about. Some but not all of my art classes have prepared me for the field I want to enter, and the humanities have in a way helped me understand how I will be working with people outside of school and into my professional career.
This being said, I’m not at all tied down to becoming a UX Designer. My current plan is to follow what I want to do, and if there’s a different demand for a design-based job, I’ll take it.
