Graduating from college is scary. Throw in a degree in art and it can be pretty terrifying.

(And then add in graduating during a pandemic)

Many of us who attended school during that moment can remember the feeling when we heard that spring break was extended and the world was shutting down. I was on the opposite side of the U.S., eating breakfast at my hostel in San Diego. The weather was warm and we planned to go surfing that day. It did not feel real. I was in my senior year studying photography at Massachusetts College of art and Design. I was completing my photography senior thesis and getting ready to graduate. I never thought spring break would be the last time I would see many of my classmates and professors until almost a year or two later.

With the art world shutting down and everything becoming remote, finding a job in my field was very challenging. Jobs were difficult to get everywhere, money was tight, and people were scared. I don't think any of us knew how long this would last. So you can say my first year post-graduation was not how I imagined it would be.

I moved back to Rhode Island when I graduated to share an apartment with some childhood friends. My days were filled with wine nights, working as a pizza delivery driver, bartending, and barely touching my camera or making a photograph. I've heard this is common for many artists after school, that you may not create anything for some time. And I think that’s normal to need a break after spending four years creating non-stop. But it’s important to not stay there.

I recall feeling stuck in that rut. One day I was folding pizza boxes and thought: This cannot be my life. I cannot sit here and let years of my life pass by working a pointless and draining job. At that moment, I decided I wouldn't wait for the world to restart and began to make it move.

When I graduated, I remember asking myself:

How will I make money?

Will my art have an impact?

Do I get a “real” job and do my art on the side?

How many of you have asked yourself those same questions? Did you feel just as stuck once you graduated?

I like to believe that life only throws you what it knows you can handle. With that come many valuable lessons. I want to share some lessons I learned to help you quickly find stability after graduating.

Lesson 1: Your life feels like it has no structure…so you have to make one

*Penn Station, Interior, Manhattan by Berenice Abbott, 1930s*

After college, it was the first time I had true freedom. I no longer lived on a schedule where my days felt consistent and planned out. Once I finished school, I realized creating structure and honing in on my habits was essential to stay consistent and productive.

Due to the pandemic, I had a lot time to myself after graduating. Days once filled with social gatherings were now filled with solitude. The lack of structure became apparent as days passed and I didn't accomplish anything but finish a season on Netflix. When the world seems as if it is crumbling around us, it can be exhausting to be productive. However, incorporating structure into your life is extremely valuable and will help you succeed and find stability. It can be as easy as writing a to-do list for your day, writing down goals you want to accomplish for the week, or setting aside 30 minutes every day of dedicated working time. As artists, setting aside time to focus on our art is critical. Implementing a structure will ensure you don’t go days, weeks, or even months without working on your art. When I found myself struggling to make images, I bought myself a point and shoot 35mm camera to take photographs on. This helped me get movtivated and pushed me back into making art.

Lesson 2: You are your own business

*From ‘The Valleys Project’, Paul Reas, 1984*

Navigating the professional world already seemed confusing and difficult to me. A big downfall of many art universities and colleges is that they don’t tend to teach artists about marketing their art or themselves. When we hear about a working artist, we are often reminded of the “starving artist” trope. Or where they live luxuriously, are already represented, or just happened to be found by some big gallery or the right person. And yes, the latter can happen, but studies show that only 10% of art school graduates (nationally) earn a living from their artwork[1]. So that makes me think, how will I make it? Making it as an artist seems substantially more laborious than before.

It is imperative to think of your art and art-making as a business. And because you are your own business, that comes with a lot of responsibility to make yourself known. It takes a lot of dedication and putting yourself out there. And you will fail many times. But you have to keep picking yourself back up and pushing forward.

When I moved back to Providence, there were almost no jobs in my field. But just because no jobs are listed doesn’t mean you should quit. When I saw no jobs, I emailed every gallery and art spot in the Providence area to ask if they needed any help. And that’s how I landed my first gallery job at the Providence Art Club and became an intern with Art League Rhode Island. Putting myself out there and reaching out to businesses helped me stand out and become someone they think of when they start hiring. In the end, these jobs guided me down the path I wanted for my career.

While tucked away in a pandemic, I also missed visiting galleries and connecting with other artists. So I took it upon myself to start my own gallery, Co-Arts Gallery. It began as a 3D online exhibition and has ventured out to host exhibitions at galleries in Boston, Providence, and Seattle. Though this business venture hasn’t panned out exactly how I expected (more on that in a future post), it allowed me to put myself out there professionally, learn various skills, and break out of my comfort zone.

Lesson 3: The (lack of) Benjamin$

Art school doesn’t tend to teach you about financial success. It's something you learn through trial and error. Learning how to be financially responsible can seem daunting. It often includes navigating through a lot of debt, paying bills, and an income that barely covers it all. When I graduated, I worked three to four jobs to pay my bills and support my art-making. And though I’ve had the advantage of our student loan freeze these past two years, I can see that dark cloud of debt waiting to rain down on me.

Surrounded by all these expenses, you may ask yourself: will I even make money from my art? And the most direct answer is yes, but probably not enough to cover all your costs. In the past two years, I have written down all my income and expenses from my art (something I advise every artist to do). So far in 2022, I am at a total loss of $1,712.78. In 2021 that loss was $1,980.62. As you see, I have not been able to make more than what I put towards my art, let alone enough to cover any bills, which is why I have a job that allows me to support my photography and art. This is the reality of most, if not all, artists. It can take time to make a profit, and can often includes research into other sources of income (such as passive income). Understanding finances and budgeting your money is a necessary tool to have post-college.

Lesson 4: This is a time to get inspired

*Spread from the Guggenheim Library Special Collections copy of Picasso’s Carnet de la Californie. Photo: Kristopher McKay*

Being out of college (and the pandemic) gave me time. I finally had the freedom to develop a project without the stress of a weekly critique and finishing a project in one semester. It also allows the exploration of different mediums and the ability to integrate more into your practice which can be difficult at school. When I graduated, I started to pick up painting again and became interested in integrating video and installation into my work. There is a sense of freedom during this time that allows further experimentation than what may have been possible within a specific major. So take the time after graduation to open up your horizons, research, and explore different styles. Outside college is the time to figure out who you are as an artist. Break boundaries and deconstruct all that you have learned to make the art that is genuinely and unapologetically you.

Lesson 5: Your friends in college are your network

*Duchamp and Dalí playing chess during filming for A Soft Self-Portrait, Robert Descharnes and Paul Averty, 1966*

My experience at an arts college allowed me to surround myself with creative people and professors that actively work in their field. Many of my classmates continued to guide me when I was no longer in school. Moving from a group of artists talking about your work every week to working through it alone can be daunting. Keeping in touch with classmates helps keep you motivated and encourages you to create notable work. They are your network and (usually) your biggest supporters. Many of my opportunities after college came from past classmates recommending me and sharing my name. It even helped me get my first professional job as a Photography Lab Technician at Worcester State University. Maintaining a relationship with classmates can seem hard. However, with social media, there is no excuse to not hold onto the meaningful network you created while at school. The community you make at school will follow you into your adult career and help pave the path (or at least make it slightly less bumpy). So support each other!

Finally, Don’t give up!

Life after art school is strenuous, demanding, exciting, rigorous, and more. For many, it is what you make of it. It takes a lot of work and resilience to succeed. But with time, you will start seeing yourself closer to your goals. What may seem impossible now will slowly become more possible. And there is no one way of getting the results you want. As artists, we are naturally innovative people. We learn to shape the path like clay between our fingers or a brushstroke on a canvas. At first, it may seem unmanageable, but a beautiful masterpiece will emerge if you keep working at it. I promise.

This blog is fully written and run by photographer Caterina Maina. If you like what you read, please leave a comment, like, and/or share it on your social media!

And if you have any questions, suggestions on topics, or an interesting exhibition Caterina should check out please feel free to leave them in the comments or email her at caterinamainaphotography@gmail.com!

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Life After Art School: 5 Lessons I Learned After Graduating