Ep. 78 - Tell Me More about Studio Art and Art Education

In Episode 78 of the CSUSB Advising Podcast, Matt Markin chats with Professor Alison Ragguette about majoring in Studio Arts or Art Education. Professor Ragguette gives an overview of both Studio Art and Art Education, what students are learning in their classes, career options, and more!

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Transcript

Matt Markin: [00:00:00] Hey, Yoties. Welcome back to the C-S-U-S-B advising podcast. This is Matt Markin, an academic advisor here at Cal State San Bernardino. And on today's episode, we're going to learn more about the art major, specifically the studio art and art education. So to help us learn more about these, let's welcome our guest today from the C-S-U-S-B Art Department.

Matt Markin: And that is Professor Allison Ragguette. Professor Ragguette, welcome. 

Professor Alison Ragguette: Thank you so much for having me. 

Matt Markin: So, can you tell us a little bit about yourself. I know your path into higher ed and being at C-S-U-S-B. 

Professor Alison Ragguette: Yes, sure. So I was hired in 2006, and I, so I've been teaching over 18 years now, and I oversee the ceramics area and I also am the graduate coordinator for our graduate programs in studio art.

Professor Alison Ragguette: And we have an incredible facility here at C-S-U-S-B. [00:01:00] We offer. Painting, drawing, glass, sculpture, ceramics 3D Fabrication, which is using all the computers to make stuff. Photography, video design. Gosh, printmaking. What am I missing? So many wonderful things that we do here. I first got into art as a teenager.

Professor Alison Ragguette: I like to say that it saved me in a lot of ways because instead of going out and partying with my friends on a Saturday night, I wanted to go to the ceramic studio and get really good at throwing on the wheel. From there, I followed my passion and luckily it paid off. And yeah, so that's how I arrived at C-S-U-S-B.

Professor Alison Ragguette: And I've been so fortunate to be a professor and pursue my art career and have a family and live a really good life as an artist. 

Matt Markin: Yeah. Awesome. And then, so speaking of art, let's say we have an undergraduate student that's wants to know more [00:02:00] about art and maybe studio art or art education. How would you describe that to a student?

Professor Alison Ragguette: Okay we have a couple of different pathways for studio art, some higher unit degrees. The BFA, the Bachelor of Fine Arts is probably the most serious degree. And then probably the lightest kind of low unit degree is the bachelor's of visual art. And the curriculum really requires students to try a lot of different media and a lot of different technical areas.

Professor Alison Ragguette: Both 2D and 3D students get a comprehensive and education in both. Art practice, but also art theory and art history. So that's also very important to becoming a good artist. And in the art education area, students most students are keen to become art teachers, so K through 12 and I will say that it's an excellent time to be [00:03:00] pursuing.

Professor Alison Ragguette: That avenue there's just recently some funding came was legislated for art in K through 12 schools. So they are currently hiring a lot of teachers. That does require the credential after you finish your undergraduate degree in studio art or art education. A few more things.

Professor Alison Ragguette: We have outstanding facilities. Okay, so I like to think of the Department of Art and Design as a playground for artists. There's so much to learn and explore and we try to keep things very open ended so that you can just be very intuitive and follow your nose and explore the things. Explore new things, right?

Professor Alison Ragguette: Explore glass blowing ceramics, all these different areas. We have just such a wonderful studio facilities. We do metal casting sometimes. We do all kinds of wonderful events. We [00:04:00] also sometimes do public art projects we really do have a lot of. F exciting opportunities in our department for young emerging artists.

Matt Markin: Oh and I guess that kind of leads into my next question. You were talking about things that students are, could be doing in their classes and learning. And I guess this could be a nice question to ask is, we have some majors that maybe their classes that they take are strictly lecture based.

Matt Markin: But a lot of the classes a student might take as an art major, there might be like a lecture discussion portion, but then there's also like the activity. Can you talk about what students could expect in maybe some of those maybe hands-on classes and time that will be involved in some of their projects?

Professor Alison Ragguette: Yes. So our studio classes, which are typically either lecture and activity or seminar and activity are really hands-on projects, project based learning. Okay. And that means you are in the studio [00:05:00] making. Alright, and you will get a combination of demonstration, lecture, presentation and studio time to work and make things with the support of your professor.

Professor Alison Ragguette: And they tend to be extremely fun classes. I'm not gonna lie. A lot of students gravitate towards our department because they are hands-on visceral, kinesthetic learners, right? Like they need to like, touch and feel things to like really learn and understand them. They like to build things, they like to explore materials and meaning of things like explore the meaning of things and conceptual thinking about art.

Professor Alison Ragguette: But I, but don't get me wrong, they're not necessarily easy classes. They're just like very dynamic and interesting. You don't wanna miss anything because there's usually a new demonstration of something really [00:06:00] vital to what you need for your projects. So it's the type of class. Where the time flies, right?

Professor Alison Ragguette: Like you're not looking at the clock wondering when this class is over. You're just really captivated with what's going on and if, and also in, learning to work with whatever medium you're exploring at that moment. Again, we have a lot of equipment that you have to act. Access on campus.

Professor Alison Ragguette: So that's really important to have that time to get comfortable working with equipment learning by doing. Okay. We do a lot of that in the studio area and it's a supportive environment where it. You're not thrown out to the wolves and just figure it out. Like we're there to support you and slowly, incrementally help you develop your knowledge of technique and get acquainted with equipment and learn and develop how to work with that equipment.

Professor Alison Ragguette: So [00:07:00] these classes are demand a lot of time. Okay. They do demand a lot of time, but it's. Usually very satisfying time. And it's the kind of work that if it's going well for you, the time just flies by. And you're like, oh my gosh, I've gotta get to my other classes. So there's a lot of that.

Professor Alison Ragguette: But having said that, I would also caution you to understand that choosing studio art is a big commitment. Okay. It's not really, it's not the path of least resistance necessarily, and it's not the easiest route to take. We have a lot of students who, whose parents don't really understand why they wanna study art.

Professor Alison Ragguette: What, how are they gonna make a living being an artist? A lot of students, especially our first generation attendings. Students, their families just are terrified to think that they're studying art and how are they going to make a living and have a bRagguetteer life. [00:08:00] Than their parents did.

Professor Alison Ragguette: And that often can be very uncomfortable for our students. And because they're leading the way they're pioneering a new path that their parents don't necessarily understand. And it can be very very scary for these students. US professors have understand this. We know that it's a big challenge for some students to choose art.

Professor Alison Ragguette: It is a big commitment. It's not for the faint of heart, but what we do see is those students who have that kind of fire in them for to be artists like you really are. It is a calling and when you just have this real desire or this pull to be an artist, you can't really deny it because it is such a powerful call and it's, a little bit.

Professor Alison Ragguette: Out there and unknown, but we see, we've seen so many students become professional artists and professors, and they're living a beautiful life that's really satisfying. That [00:09:00] allows them to be creative artists and also have an income. And their families learned. They learned that yes, there is a way to be an artist in the society and give back and support themselves all at the same time.

Professor Alison Ragguette: It, it's a little bit going out on a limb. It's not, the standard but also it requires that kind of creative thinking and that belief in oneself, right? That kind of that knowing that you want this and having faith that it will work for you and hard work. Lots of hard work.

Matt Markin: Yeah. 100%. Yeah. And I guess this kind of based off that answer maybe this is like a kind of a combined question, sure. We're you're addressing some of the misconceptions in a way that, maybe students might think based off what they're hearing from maybe friends or family and talking early before we started recording about how.

Matt Markin: In high school, and when the students end their senior year, they're like, all right, they're applying to different universities and colleges here. Pick a major. Yes. And when they really haven't explored a lot of what's [00:10:00] out there, what might be offered at the institution, and then tied to that, it's also, the career type question. I'm sure you get a lot in terms of, okay what can I do with this major once I graduate? So I guess if you have a student that, comes up to you and is I'm interested, but I'm nervous about what I can do with it, or, my parents want me to do this certain major, but I'm very interested in doing something with an art, maybe within studio art or going the education route.

Matt Markin: What types of things would you talk to that student about? 

Professor Alison Ragguette: Again, I think it's important to understand if you have this kind of strong desire to be an artist you can ignore it for a while, but it will probably resurface in decades to come in your life and it'll still be there, you don't have to deny that. And creative people always find a way to be creative. Ideally, you are going to get paid for that. That's the creative thinking here is that [00:11:00] you're gonna find a way to earn a living while staying creative. And that's the key to a happy life. It's actually not, money is not the key to a happy life.

Professor Alison Ragguette: I know plenty of people who might earn a lot of money, but they're miserable doing their jobs. Creatives get up every day and they lo we love we're so excited to problem solve, to explore new things to grapple and play with things like it's every day is so interesting and different.

Professor Alison Ragguette: So I do think it's quite possible to locate that, attitude. It is like a personal value and a way of seeing the world. But the creativity is a huge, is in huge demand in many fields. Not just art, particularly education technology. You need promYotieson like self-promYotieson and social media marketing, right? That's huge. Like you need [00:12:00] content creation. Look at all these people who are, making content for the internet. Like you need deep creativity to figure that out and cultivate that. I think we're at a point where all these careers demand the creative spirit more and more, especially as we evolve into more technology, including ai.

Professor Alison Ragguette: Can I AI be creative? Can you know what's gonna compete in the future? And I do think that creativity is one of those things that will be hard to replicate and will be required to solve problems like, like ai, like it's presenting a problem, but then we have to we have to come up with a creative solution.

Professor Alison Ragguette: So it is definitely, creativity is in demand. For sure. And it's something that you can bring to so many different career paths as well and it gives you such an edge. But I do think that technology is a great tool. I think we must engage. I'm [00:13:00] not afraid of it. We have incredible tools on campus.

Professor Alison Ragguette: We have 3D printers that print. Clay. We have 3D printers that print plastic. We have CNC machines, like they're incredible machines and I love using them. I like, it's very important I think to be knowledgeable about all your options as an artist and use everything use. Do I always tell students you have to do what the art needs, right?

Professor Alison Ragguette: So if the art needs precision, you have these tools. But if the art needs to be loose and funky and a little out of control, then you can let it be very loose and easy, right? And maybe don't. Use technology. And that's like the thing that I think technology wishes it could attain. And maybe it will someday, this kind of biomimicry that technology is always attempting to attain I think is interesting.

Professor Alison Ragguette: I don't, I, I think the more we have those options of push a few buttons and [00:14:00] produce something but human beings aren't stupid. Like we will be able to discern what is like. Derived from AI versus a human. I already look at text that's, written on chat, GBT and I can already, I, there's some very obvious signs of that writing that that.

Professor Alison Ragguette: Reveals that it was like written by chat, GPT. There's stylistically, there's like this attempt to make things sound a bit flowery or frilly the way maybe a human would try, but it's over the top so they're not quite. GRagguetteing it right. But I do think that look at how we adapted during COVID, like we're adaptable as humans, right?

Professor Alison Ragguette: So I'm actually not that terrified because I think we learn, we as fast as technology is growing and evolving, so are human beings, right? And we're highly capable, we're highly capable of doing that. And so I think that the more it actually could even [00:15:00] promote the need for handmade. Even more, right?

Professor Alison Ragguette: Yeah. Because AI can't replace us. 

Matt Markin: No I love that answer. And I think any student who might be interested in art, it might be thinking about ai. I like the way that you put in terms of if you're creative, you're always looking for what's the problem, what's the solution? How do you adapt?

Matt Markin: What opportunities are there? 

Professor Alison Ragguette: It's the human response to things. And I think that human beings fundamentally need that. That's intrinsic to being human, right? We need beauty, we need humor, we need, contemplation. And that's what art brings to the world. And it's still, the world still needs it.

Matt Markin: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And you mentioned some of the resources that are offered through the art department as an art student. Is there anything you wanna add in terms of anything else a student, an art student, would be able to use as a resource through your department? Or even if they're on the fence of declaring.

Matt Markin: Any suggestions for that student? 

Professor Alison Ragguette: Yeah. I think that I like to tell students, I know [00:16:00] there's like initiatives to hurry up and get your degree and such. And often students feel I hear students say, I'm so old, I'm 24. I'm like, oh my gosh. The thing about being an artist is the longer you explore and learn art, the bRagguetteer art you'll be, artist you'll be.

Professor Alison Ragguette: And so it is not a race. It is a marathon. And it's not about how quickly you finish. Like it's really not about the destination, it's about the journey. I know that sounds so cheesy, but it's completely the case. In art. And I'm 30 years into being an artist. And it's like more and more I realize I will never know everything about being an artist.

Professor Alison Ragguette: And that's the beauty of it, because every day is so interesting and I'm just surprised and stunned by the materials that I work with all the time. And so that's really the appealing part of being an artist. Now, for some people who really need answers right [00:17:00] away, they, they're more black and white thinkers.

Professor Alison Ragguette: They might need. They're not so comfortable with not knowing things or just being a little bit like they need answers right away. Art can be very challenging, right? Because that's not, art isn't like immediate answers, it's not stats. It's, yeah. It's all, it's, I always say it's all the shades of gray.

Professor Alison Ragguette: In between, right? And there's beauty in all of that, but it can also be rather uncomfortable for students, like if they need that answer right away, it's no, it's not. It might not happen. And you have to be patient, and you have to be intuitive, and you have to be open to all the possibilities.

Professor Alison Ragguette: And sometimes that's very hard. That doesn't work for all personalities. I would say if you're on the fence of declaring an art major, again, try a few classes, how do you feel? Do you enjoy this work? If you ha can have daily joy in your life daily joy in your career, you are successful.

Professor Alison Ragguette: That's a, such a wonderful sign of success. But [00:18:00] if it's frustrating and uncomfortable, that's not gonna work for you. And so I just think, personally, I think don't commit until you have to try things out. Don't worry about what all your friends are doing or how fast they're graduating. That's not important.

Professor Alison Ragguette: It's about making a really good decision for yourself where you are going to be successful in your life and you're gonna be happy in your life like Joy is. The aim here, like that's important. Obviously a living is too, but everything works bRagguetteer when you love what you do. Whether it's art or a whole nother discipline, you've got to like what you do.

Matt Markin: Yeah, no, I think it's a perfect way, beautiful way to, to end this interview. A lot of great information. And then we'll also include links to the art website and contact information in our show notes. So thank you so much for being on the podcast today. 

Professor Alison Ragguette: My pleasure and I hope to see everybody trying out a class, [00:19:00] checking out the art department.

Professor Alison Ragguette: Come check and see. We have a lot of events in our museum as well. I forgot to mention the Robert and Francis. Fullerton Museum of Art, we have lots of cool things happening there, so stop by. It's free for anybody to stop in and check it out. Incredible Egyptian collection. And come hang out with the art students.

Matt Markin: Sounds good. Thank you again. 

Professor Alison Ragguette: Thank you.