Jacob Willer you then have never met my son....an artist

So none of this applies to Ateliers (see ARC Renewal Center) so you still can learn art the same way the old masters did and there are three BFA programs in the the U.S. that teach that way and many more around the world. Most of the Ateliers are not degree granting, however.

You get out of it what you put in. Ask anyone, who taught you to make art - it's more who inspired them on their path to be creative. The myth is that you can't be taught to be creative, you have to do this on your own and the art school provides a structure and foundation to experiment, play around like minded people as you work out your skills for yourself. A good art school has everything available for you to try, all different aspects of art and design, it enables you to explore your ideas and creativity. It doesn't give you a map, it plonks you in the centre of it with directions.

Well written... i gotta say i chuckled outloud when i read "violated canvas" that was good. And its very sad that there is art in all mediums... painting performance sculpting writing designing digital layouts what have you, all deserve respect but none are being pushed to the background as much as painting, and as a painter it is disheartening and inspiring all at the same. When you mentions painting to someone theyre response 9 times out of ten retreats to history and some figure of importance as if paintings are some lost relics of the creative space. If its not morphing shape and color on a screen with music being played by horns made of old corn cobs being played by motion sensors attatched to timing triggers its not anything. And as a person who loves original artworks you cant knock the player you gotta knock the direction the games being manipulated into view by i dont know... whoever haha. But nowadays anyones got a plagform to have theyre artwork see if they want. And hopefully chna sooner rather than later will have full access to the whole of it.

I couldn't agree more. This mirrors my experience in the early nineties. The institution I applied to was an art department of a Further Education College that had changed to a Polytechnic in my fist year and was a University by the time I gained a degree. The old guard who believed in media and technique were retired out and replaced by tutors who didn't know one end of a screwdriver from the other and would proudly proclaim such, (they were supposed to be teaching me sculpture) When standing my ground and stating that I was a sculptor using plastic mediums to explore a visual language in an attempt to communicate what I was not able to communicate verbally. I was accused of being reactionary, over skilled, and an inverted snob. I was given a years grace when in my second year I was chosen as a "New Contemporary" a big deal at the time. My third year was executed at a distance from the inner circle of favourites. Whats the opposite of positive reinforcement? In the 20 years since I left art school the course has shut down but others have sprung up with tutors who are the progeny of those who taught in the early nineties who are at one more step removed from making and doing. Stack em deep took over and expensive workshops and technicians are a thing of the past, health and safety became a cover all excuse for a lot of cut backs and under funding. I still hit rock draw on paper and cast bronze though. Thanks for a great article and a reaffirmation of what I observed as well.

art schools only like ugly, stupid and sometimes, bad, art. Beautiful painting? Nope. You'll be laughed out of town. Go back to the masters, that's my advice.

Interesting article. This debate around what is taught has been running for a long time. I was at art school in the mid 80's and none of my tutors in Fine Art had empathy with non-painting. That is one thing, but my concern as someone now responsible for encouraging young people to apply for art school is the lack of practical disciplines and structured context to practice and ideas. In this I think Mr. Willer is on the money, best summed up in his paragraph on the 'anatomy lesson'. Art School produces a lot of arrogant and half-informed ideas and in a jaded world accurately reflects society, which is the point, many would argue. I would disagree. Just as most of my tutors were self-absorbed and unsympathetic in the 1980's, the problem persists. It seems that the (art)culture encourages laissez-faire. Still, while I wasnt taught much, it was a great experience and environment for some of the right and some of the wrong reasons.So long as you can hack it.

Wonderful analysis and wonderfully written. What is intriguing to me is where this sludge meets the marketplace, and how it is 'sold' to a sophisticated, wealthy collecting public. Or not. Intriguingly there is a new class of gallery and collector emerging (in the US at least) looking for the "re-skilling" of art, for art that somehow bridges classical training and yet still speaks with a contemporary voice. No one should be interested in merely re-creating past masters' work except as a learning step, but taking that foundation and somehow mashing or meshing it together with Now is opening up some exciting new possibilities. Don't doubt yourself and don't give up!

Check out "Art School Confidential" by Daniel Clowes (the comic is better than the movie): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_School_Confidential_film

Another citadel stormed and taken by the vindictive mediocrities of the Left. Sad, sad, sad.