Have a fundraising event

I've had a lot of students visit me lately, wondering what else they might do in order to earn some extra cash for college. The idea I am about to share came to me after a successful fund raising event for the MS Society.

Just about all of you that are graduating from high school and planning to go to art school probably have a LOT of supporters. I'm not talking about strangers, I am talking about your six degrees of separation. Your friend's parents, your parent's friends, the guidance counselor that helped you apply to colleges, your art teachers, your neighbors, classmates, etc. These people know you or know of you and most likely also know that you are an artist.

When I graduated from high school, my friends and I had a big graduation party. At that party, I had an art show. Everything I had made, school assignment or not, was there. One of my neighbors bought something. I hadn't even planned to sell it.

You see where this is going, right?
When you apply to art school, you usually have to submit a portfolio. And the images have to be GOOD. So I know that you already have all of your art from high school photographed and saved somewhere, whether it is on a CD/DVD or slides (if you're old like me;).

As a general rule, the work that you created before going to college is not going to be nearly as great as the work you create during and after school. I'm not saying that to hurt your feelings, I'm telling you the truth. The work in your portfolio NOW is not going to get you jobs in 4 years. That's what I'm saying.

I'm also about to tell you this: that unless you have some uncanny attachment to your work (and understandably you might, since you created it), you should shed it. Or you COULD shed it.

Why not have an art show/sale? Call it a fundraiser. Invite everyone you know. It's a show, you are celebrating getting into (insert sweet acronym for art college here), and this is the work that got you there.

And put everything up for sale. Maybe you hold a silent auction, and people can bid on the pieces. Maybe you just ask for donations, and people give you what they can/think is acceptable. Maybe your guests won't see anything they like, but want you to make something totally new for them, now that they see how talented you are!

The possibilities are endless. It is a win-win situation.

If people buy your work, you can list on your resume that your work is already 'in the private collection of the so-and-so family', and that you have sold x pieces. No one needs to know that person was your gym teacher or the family you babysit for.

If people don't buy your work, you can save it, enjoy your time with it and try again later.

Don't underestimate your contacts. Most of them are really happy for you to be following something you love, and are glad to take a part in helping you achieve your dream.