Good Luck! I know what you are going through-I too felt pulled to being the best art teacher OR artist. I chose to be an art teacher for 40 years. I plan to retire or do my art! I too found my art to consuming to do both! Keep posting!
Hi Alisha, thanks for sharing this. I am in a kind of similar boat and have been feeling very stressed/nervous lately about it all and seeing your video just now, well it was fate. I can so relate to everything you’ve said and have had a kind of similar journey myself. I have always loved making art and knew that art would be my calling. But as I got older and had to figure out what I was going to study, art suddenly became less of a promising career option and more of a hobby. But I stuck to my guns and eventually got into an animation school as well. I soon found out I wasn’t as passionate for animation as I thought so I left and went to a more illustration/design based school. I got into gaming after graduating and after four years I decided to take a leap of faith and try freelancing. I was able to get in with an agency and illustrated a few children’s book since I still love drawing cartoons and my background was animation and gaming. Kid lit was a good fit for me. Though it did not pay the bills well. I started looking for job opportunities in my city and stumble across an art teaching job at a Montessori school. Being that it was a private school I didn’t need a standard teacher’s college degree but just experience in art and with teaching art to kids which I had. Fast forward to almost two years teaching now and I’m so mentally exhausted. I never aimed to become a teacher, I think in order to teach you have to be passionate about child education and I just don’t feel like that’s where my passion lies. Don’t get me wrong, I love kids and making art with them, but what I find most challenging are the “behaviors” in my school and having to teach a specific way which I got little to no training for. I’m longing to go back to when I was able to set my own schedule and be my own boss so I am thinking of trying to do this again but am afraid of leaving a nice “cushy” job. I know my parents and friends will think I’m crazy for leaving such a “dream job” and it makes me feel so badly about it all. My friends and family also tell Me why don’t I just do both, teach art and make art /do illustration contracts on the side but they don’t know how mentally and creatively draining being an art teacher really is. I honestly just wanna get a part time job and make art to sell as well. I am sorry I wrote a novel, I just think your video really resonated with me and I will keep following your journey on here. Don’t hesitate if you ever have any questions on advertising or the business side of being a sole proprietor artist cuz I did do that for a few years (even though I kind of gave up) I might have some tips or would happily connect you with someone who could help. I think you got this and all the best on your artist journey!
That's so interesting, it is very similar! It's also ok to take a break from teaching and go back to it later, if you want. I took a year gap after burning out my first three years teaching, and then I went back to it for security and honestly, I needed money again. So many people will take on jobs for a few years to get financial stability for a while, and then it's ok to switch it up and try something new. Things will usually always work out.
Oh and I forgot to say what my dream job would be, well I would love to finally buy a house and would want a little studio to make art and give workshops! Just like you, I love clay work and pottery and would love to be able to have this studio space to make things and teach workshops!
I definitely thought I wasn't cut out for teaching when I taught high school, but switching to elementary was a life saver. It feels so great when you finally find what age range you're best suited for. I'm glad you like middle school! You're a rare teacher, middle school scares me.
This is incredibly heartbreaking to hear as an art teacher who lost their art room, spends my own money for my students and they may shut down the whole art department next year and I may be without a job!
@@teohproject oh no! That’s awful. I know, I always felt so lucky at my job and I was extremely sad to leave it. But that means there are good positions out there! I am also a bit heartbroken to know they hired a general Ed teacher not officially certified in art to replace me. There are so many good art teachers out there looking for jobs, but there are also good positions to claim as well.
