Four-year-old artist Aelita Andre exhibits in NY

Artist Aelita Andre might only be four years old, but that has not stopped her opening her first art exhibition in New York.She is said to be the youngest ever professional artist with nine of her paintings on show at the Agora Gallery, in Manhattan, already selling, with pieces priced up to $9,900 (£6,000) each.
Angela Di Bello, the director at the gallery, said Aelita had already developed a style of her own.
Her parents, Nikka Kalashnikova and Michael Andre, who are also artists, both agree that their daughter's art has an innocence to it.

10 Things Every Graduate Should Know Before They Start Job Hunting

Yet another great article courtesy of The Guardian:

Despite lower salaries, more unpaid positions and a recession, it's not all doom and gloom for graduate jobseekers

 

Illustration: Guardian

Tanya de Grunwald

The Guardian, Fri 1 Jun 2012

If the 370,000 students set to graduate from UK universities this summer know just one thing, it's that the party is over. Figures from employment website Totaljobs show one in three graduates is claiming jobseeker's allowance and a quarter of graduates haven't had a single interview.

Huge numbers of roles posted on graduate "job boards" are, in fact, lengthy unpaid internships – and research from Incomes Data Services found that those lucky enough to find paid work will discover their starting salary is 2% lower than it was for the class of 2011.

Certainly, 2012 is a tough year to graduate – but there is still a great deal that jobseekers can do to boost their chances of finding employment. Frustratingly, it seems little of this advice is reaching them – of the hundreds of recent graduates I met while writing How to Get a Graduate Job in a Recession, few felt confident about tackling the task ahead.

Many say they found their university careers service uninspiring and unhelpful – that's if they made it through the door. So what are the things the class of 2012 really needs to know?

 

1 Unpaid internships are illegal

The biggest issue for today's graduates isn't joblessness – it is unpaid internships. According to Interns Anonymous, a quarter of interns have done three or more placements, and one in four internships lasts more than six months. Increasingly, it's a myth that unpaid internships lead to paid jobs; now they are replacing paid jobs.

There is no legal definition of an intern, but national minimum wage law states anybody who qualifies as a worker must be paid at least £6.08 an hour (if aged 21 and over) unless their employer is a charity. If an intern's role has set hours and responsibilities and the person is contributing work that's of value to their employer, it's likely the company is breaking the law. Yes, even if the intern says they're happy to work for nothing.

The problem is that the law simply isn't being enforced – and making this happen is proving difficult. Happily, the UK has the most active interns' rights movement in the world (this is a global problem).

Graduate Fog (which I founded) and Intern Aware has just launched Interns Fight for Justice, a campaign aimed to help interns take their high-profile former employers to a tribunal.

 

2 Ignore the headlines – there are still jobs out there

News that 83 graduates apply for every job is eye-catching, but is it really true? The big graduate schemes may be over-subscribed, but a major PR agency received just six applications for a junior account executive job paying £24,000. Are graduates only applying to the big names, via adverts they've seen in the most obvious places?

"Doom and gloom makes headlines but, believe it nor, not there is a huge shortage of bright, employable graduates," says James Uffindell, founder of recruitment site Bright Network. "The war for talent is back on. Major blue chip recruiters and fast-growing startups are recruiting again. We're helping consulting firms, media businesses, hedge funds and many other enterprises find the talent they need to grow their businesses."

 

3 Doing more education isn't the answer

A second degree means a better job – or at least a better chance of getting a job. Right? Wrong. Think carefully before you sign up for an expensive postgraduate course that may be of little interest to employers – and beware of the increasingly slick marketing methods used by universities (remember, education is a business now).

"Many graduate recruiters are happy with an undergraduate degree – few job adverts stipulate a postgraduate qualification," says Dan Hawes, head of marketing at Graduate Recruitment Bureau.

Candidates with a postgraduate degree shouldn't expect a higher salary either. "After degree level, earnings actually decrease the more educated someone is," adds Uffindell.

Don't view postgraduate study as a genius ploy to "wait out" the recession. Who says things will be better in 12 months? In 2013 you'll be competing with a new batch of graduates – plus those who didn't find work this year.

 

4 Give the industry you have chosen a health check

The digital revolution has turned many industries upside down. The music industry, book publishing and print journalism are obvious examples, but other industries are suffering, too. This means the "dream jobs" you've set your heart on may not even exist in a few years – and if they do, they could be poorly paid and insecure.

Graduates often hope that if they want their goal badly enough, they'll get there. Sadly, this isn't true. Look around. If people established in your chosen industry are bailing out, what does that tell you? Think laterally and take your skills to a growing sector. Your career spans 40 years. Don't pick an industry that will be dead in five.

 

5 The perfect CV is a myth

Graduates obsess about crafting the perfect CV, but there's no such thing. If yours is clear and concise, stop fiddling. And forget about trying to stand out. If your application is really good, it will get noticed.

Instead, use the extra time to check your online footprint. "Google yourself. What comes up – and how does it make you look?" says James Whatley, social media consultant at Social@Ogilvy. "Potential employers will do this – so make sure you've done it first." Use Facebook's new "view as" button (found under the "edit profile" settings) to see how your non-friends can see you – and adjust the privacy settings accordingly. "Next, set up your LinkedIn profile. It's a brilliant place for hearing about jobs on the grapevine. Keep adding new training and skills you pick up, so it's always bang up to date," adds Whatley.

 

6 Don't forget the little guys

To many university leavers, the big graduate schemes seem like the holy grail – and missing out is a cause for despair. But are they really all that? Or are graduates just seduced by the structure that feels so familiar after years of full-time education?

Don't dismiss small- to medium-sized companies (SMEs, with less than 250 employees) – that's where the bulk of graduate vacancies lie. "Of the 60,000 graduate jobs in the UK, only 16,000 are with blue chip companies," says Hawes. "The remaining 44,000 are with SMEs, the public sector or charities." Thousands of SMEs are desperate to hire bright young graduates – but they may not advertise in the obvious places as it's expensive, so do some extra sleuthing to track them down.

 

7 Offer to help – but don't beg an employer for experience

Don't use your covering letter to tell a sob story about why you need a job to give you experience – however desperate you feel. And don't emphasise your potential – it sounds like you have nothing to offer (which isn't true). Instead, underline what you do have. Employers will hire you if they think you can help them – not because you need experience. And never offer to work for free. It looks as if you don't value your own contribution.

 

8 If it's really not working, it's time to stop doing it

The biggest mistake graduates make is repeating one job-hunting strategy again and again before wailing, "I've applied for 5,000 jobs and heard nothing back!" and the Daily Mail runs a story about it with a picture of them looking sad. It should never have come to that. After the first 50 applications, they should have stopped, reassessed and made a new plan.

Different industries require different approaches. Networking won't get you a public sector job – the procedure there is formal and structured. Few media people have ever filled out an application form – it's all about contacts and grabbing opportunities. Have the courage to ditch what isn't working – and try something new which might. What have you got to lose?

 

9 All the experience you have gained is good experience

Spent last summer litter-picking at Glastonbury and serving strawberries at Wimbledon? However lame you think your experience sounds, anything is better than nothing. "The key is to make it sound relevant for the job you're applying for," says Hawes. "Think back and see the job through the eyes of an employer. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? What skills did you develop? What training did you have? This is all great stuff for applications and interviews."

 

10 Nobody wants to hire a robot
Yes, be professional when you're applying for jobs, but be yourself. Stiff, robotic graduates using business buzzwords incorrectly is a big no-no for recruiters. The world of work can seem intimidating but "Generation Y" jobseekers – anyone born between 1980 and 1995 – have more natural abilities than they realise.

Having grown up with the internet – including Wikis and blogs – they instinctively work collaboratively. "Sharing information, new discoveries and contacts is natural to Gen Y – and that's a big asset," says Justine James, director at organisational development consultancy talentsmoothie.

"Older workers hoard their knowledge and connections. Gen Y see no divide between social and professional networks, either – and a willingness to use a broad range of contacts is attractive to growing companies."

What To Do With A Degree In Fine Art

 By Graham Snowdon
The Guardian, Saturday 22 May 2010

Fine art graduate Damien Hirst. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the Guardian

 

 

It's often said that one must suffer for one's art and, for aspiring artists, a spell of pennilessness after graduating has historically been de rigueur. This is as true today as ever, shown not only by the fact that 10.7% of 2008 fine art graduates were unemployed after leaving university (see graphic), but also by the high proportion listing catering or retail work as their primary occupation.
On the bright side, in between the waiting shifts you'll have plenty of time to polish your artistic skills and cultivate a brooding sense of existential angst. Just remember to take the long view; while arts funding will be scarce in the coming years, recessions have historically allowed creativity to flourish, as fine art graduates of the late 80s and early 90s, such as Damien Hirst (pictured) showed.
As our data also shows, fine art graduates splinter off into a broad range of career directions, from teaching to management to media and advertising.

What skills have you gained?

First and foremost you should have begun accumulating a hefty portfolio of work with which to showcase your technical and creative talents. The theoretical side of your degree should enable you to put your work into proper context, explaining your influences, the reasoning behind your choice of subjects and why you used certain materials.
Art is often a solitary pursuit so you should also have a good idea of how to motivate yourself and research ideas, materials and equipment.

What jobs can you do?

"Fine art graduates often specialise in a particular form of art such as painting, drawing, installations, sculpture or printmaking but finding regular work or a permanent job as an artist is not easy and for some, self-employment, short-term residencies or commissions are the main career opportunities," says Margaret Holbrough, careers adviser at Graduate Prospects. It can take time to establish yourself as an artist while building up a credible portfolio.
The creative arts sector has more to offer though and roles in art galleries and museums, theatre, film and crafts would be suited to fine art graduates.
Holbrough points out that in business, the artistic flair of fine art graduates is also recognised in roles where the visual image is paramount, such as advertising and marketing, exhibition design, publishing and illustrating.
"Teaching, art therapy and working for community arts projects offer more socially and educationally focused careers, plus arts administration and management would give an alternative perspective to the arts," she says.

Postgraduate study?

More than 12% of 2008 fine art graduates went on to further study, many taking master's courses to specialise in particular areas of art. Shorter courses specialising in certain related aptitudes, such as smithing, are also popular. A significant proportion go on to take a Postgraduate Certificate of Education, qualifying them to teach art in schools.

Data supplied by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit and Graduate Prospects

10 Things Ive Learnt In The Two Years Since I Graduated From Art School

This has been treading on Facebook recently:

1. “Creativity Is Recession Proof” were the words plastered over the novelty T-shirt I bought in colle...ge, and it turned out to be the most honest piece of clothing I have ever, and likely will ever own. Sadly… it also shows my nipples.

2. The Internet is the world’s most powerful tool. With great power, comes… you know the rest… or maybe you don’t, since you’re scrolling through facebook or tumblr. The way you share creations is almost as important as the creations themselves.

3. Advertising is worth the shame. My first illustration job out of college paid 20 dollars an image — a feeling not unlike getting mugged by a paraplegic sloth — yet every time those 20 dollars filled an empty wallet, my name and sites were sent off into the ether to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people. Now some of those people pay me 100x-1000x that for illustrations. Why? Maybe because I make nice things, but more likely? Because with every underpaid image I made, I made someone, somewhere, remember my name.

4. Don’t “fuck the haters”, embrace the hivemind. The “haters” will come in many forms: sometimes with criticism based on personal preference, sometimes with nonsensical attacks that seem like youtube commenter vomit, and sometimes with actual advice disguised as “hate”, saying what
you’re doing wrong and what you could be doing better. Not everyone is a sage, not everyone is right, but they are worth listening to, if only to put a pin in to see if you hear something like that again. You will literally never be above improvement. There is no plateau, keep climbing, and pay attention to what’s around you, even the guy shouting through a megaphone while jackhammering directly underneath a potential avalanche.

5. Waiting for inspiration is like waiting at the DMV: It lasts forever and if you don’t know enough, you’ll probably still fail at the end. Nike your problems away by just doing it… “it” being something. You can wait and wait for good ideas, you can consume books, magazines, websites, and music by the truckload, desperate for something to trigger some sort of eureka moment, but if you just write your shitty lyric down, lay your shitty brush stroke down, or take your shitty photo, you’re on the right to track to actually making something good. I have made many terrible things, some of which remain terrible but served as stepping stones to better things, some I transformed into rather nice things, and I learned more about myself, the world, my work, technique, appeal, and a million other tiny factors from simply doing something, even when it failed.
6. Work to play. Be an idiot when you’re young, like… college-young. I was quite an idiot in college but I could have been even more of one and probably have been just fine. However, when you leave… leave the party there. If you give up a lot when you leave your childhood behind, and put your all into boring grown-up things like “work”, “money”, and “responsibility”, it genuinely doesn’t take much time to get the freedom you had in college back. The only difference is that instead of keeping the party going to distract yourself from a job you hate and rent you can barely pay, you can kick back and enjoy the party when you choose to on your own terms, if you even care about doing so at all. In other words: Stop it with this YOLO nonsense, why you are taking the words of a filthy-rich, diamond-selling recording artist who was on a Canadian TV show’s acronym of wisdom to mean: “be an idiot always and forever because fuck it, I’m young”, is beyond me. He worked hard to be able to wear $6000 socks, he didn’t “You Only Live Once” his way to them.

7. There are a lot of people more talented than you, that’s something you should know, but never accept. I’m regularly embarrassed by the quality of my work when I look at the hordes of artists superior to me, but you have time to spend, knowledge to gain, and skills to practice for the rest of your life. Your place amongst the world has no finality to it, you can always be more.

8. A friend who will stab you with a knife in the front is worth your weight in unicorn blood. Friends will back pat and backstab, occasionally becoming bloat and baggage, but if you should be so lucky as to find a person who cares about your success enough that they will outwardly knock you down a peg or ten with the truth so that you can better yourself, don’t toss them for the easier friend. Even lone-wolf-alpha-dog-max-payne-type people need a little help along the way.

9. Karma is a pretty damn good business model. I have hunted for clients before. I have barked up their trees, aggressive and hungry for work, failing to get it every time. I have also done a lot of personal work, just for fun, but executed seriously. Many of these would be labelled as “fan art” — depictions of pop-culture icons with my own odd twist that I put out into the world — some of which I pour dozens of hours into. Traditionally, when I finish work with a client, I ask: “So, how did you find me?” almost every time the answer is: work of mine they saw on the web that I did for shits and giggles. I put good in, and in time (thanks to item #2), I get good out. There is no science or stability to this beyond the notion that if you work hard enough and if you can make your work seen, you will be rewarded. These are the naive musings of a 23 year-old, remember?

10. “Art” is a shitty word that people will tack on to anything these days. Just focus on creating, whatever that may be, however that may be, do it well, and do it because you love it.
 
By Sam Spartt