Book: Creative Careers by Elaina Loveland

I got this book from the library and thought it might be helpful for someone who was thinking about a career in art.

The subtitle is: Paths for Aspiring Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers.

There's a very short introduction about the book and then each section has an introduction with an overview of careers for each category (actor, artist, dancer, musician, and writer). Each section has profiles of different careers within that broad range.

I have to admit that I was only interested in the section on artists, so I'll concentrate on that here.

There are several career options for artists - animator, digital filmmaker, video game animator, architect, landscape architect, art gallery director, art therapist, artist, illustrator, photographer, art teacher, art professor, art director, industrial designer, floral designer, graphic designer, interior designer, web designer, fashion designer, fashion editor/stylist, jewelry designer, conservator, museum curator, preparator, and museum educator.

There is a basic overview for each one, including a job description, training and educational qualifications, job outlook, salary, and industry resources.

Each career also includes a Q&A profile with someone doing that job, with questions about internships, the best cities for that job, favorite and least favorite aspects of the job, professional associations, helpful publications and websites, and advice for people who are interested in pursuing that particular career.

The artist profiled is Tiffani Taylor, a self-employed artist who paints murals, paintings and pottery and lives in Savannah, Georgia.

A couple of great quotes from Tiffani:

I believe fear is a major factor that stops most art careers--the fear of putting oneself out in the world for others to see. Additionally, artists are faced with the problem solving of being self-employed.

and

Don't let fear of the unknown stop you. Take it a day at a time and live the life you have imagined. work each day toward "self-actualizing;" become the best person you know you can be. Don't listen to "dream squashers." Surround yourself with positive people who inspire you and believe in you. Ask for advice from people you admire.

There's not much here for creative professionals who are already doing what they love, but this would be a great book for someone interested in changing careers or for a young person just starting out.

The author's website:
Creative Careers: Paths for Aspiring Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers by Alaina Loveland