Where Art Can Take You

An art education provides the foundation for many careers. A few of our alumni show where art can take you, and the variety of options that are available.

Krista du plooy (matric 2011)

At Carinus I realized I enjoyed art and discovered my talent. And, so grew my passion for art. I excelled in art and when I gained an A aggregate in matric I decided to study art at NMMU in Port Elizabeth, specialising in graphic design. I’m now in my 3^rd year and will graduate next year.  People have told me there’s no future in art, but art can open many doors to a future of self-satisfaction and fulfillment.  There are many directions one can take. Graphic design appealed to me as I found it challenging. It also offers a wide range of job opportunities such as advertising, publication, corporate design and packaging design, but one can sustain a living by becoming a freelancer and opening one’s own business. I would like to thank the hard working and dedicated teachers and staff at this marvelous art school for encouraging me and others to follow in a career that some think has long died. Art is very much alive and I would encourage anyone who has the passion and desire to follow in this exhilarating career.

 

Joseph Coetzee

I am an inter-disciplinary artist and visual culture practitioner. I am currently doing my Masters in Fine Art at Rhodes University. In 2014 I showed work at the National Arts Festival, with a performance piece in Blind Spot curated by Ruth Simbao and a video in the Analogue Eye Film Festival curated by Brent Meistre. Before Rhodes I attended Graeme College and had the privilege of learning art at the Johan Carinus Art Centre. It was here that the supportive staff and environment helped nurture and inspire a continued interest in a career in the Arts.

 

Amie Tarr

I graduated from Johan Carinus Art Centre in 2006.  My relationship with art was at first a rocky one, as finding my feet was not easy. But, when I started my three year double major in sculpture and ceramics, I knew I was happy.  I found great inspiration at Carinus and took that motivation even further at university level where I went on to obtain a distinction in sculpture for my Master of Fine Art.  My teachers at Carinus a inspired me so greatly and pushed me to do better and aim higher.  My love is art, and now my passion is teaching.  I obtained my PGCE after my MFA and am currently teaching English in South Korea, and traveling the world.  It takes a good school to give you an opportunity, but only special teachers can inspire greatness and true success. Thank you Johan Carinus Art Centre for inspiring me and making me believe in my dreams.

Richard Pullen

I attended sculpture under Kobus Kloppers at Johan Carinus from 1992- 1994. During that period I had an epiphany and fell in love with clay. I realized that I would like to pursue clay as a career. After matriculating I was accepted into the then Port Elizabeth Technikon’s Art & Design course. Athough initially focussed on sculpture, I decided to follow my initial choices and received a Nat.Dip in Ceramic Design. After finishing studies I opened a successful ceramics studio in the small village of Bathurst. My studio is now nearly 17 years old.

 

There are many career opportunities that art prepares students for. These are some of the options:

• Lecturer at tertiary art school
• Stage and television designer
• Museum and art gallery curator
• Educational technology and film services
• Printing trade, advertising and publishing
• Art galleries and libraries (display, posters, exhibitions)
• Textile industry
• Graphic Design
• Web design
• Teaching
• Architecture
• Photography
• Interior Design

Find out what career options are available for the different art subjects we offer:

Painting

Learners who have specialised in painting can sell and exhibit their work through art galleries, self-marketing or commissions. Opportunities exist in book illustration, murals, stage design, advertising, display painting, museum displays and freelance work.

Printmaking

Printmaking specialists can go into different industries such as printing t-shirts, posters, textiles and book illustration. Printmaking skills are very valuable and working in a Printmaking Studio as a technician is a viable job. Places which offer this opportunity in South Africa are: www.warreneditions.com, www.artistproofstudio.co.za, davidkrut.com to mention a few. Printmaking Sales through galleries and commissions are also an option.

Ceramics

Ceramics students can go into domestic pottery, creating environmental and garden features, decorative items, tiles and murals, or ceramic pieces sold through design shops or art galleries.

Sculpture

The career opportunities available are creating portraits through commissions, making 3D interior design pieces or environmental and garden features.

Textiles

Specialising in textiles can lead to manufacturing table or bed linen and soft furnishings, and selling these through one’s own studio. Students can become designers for big fabric houses such as Hertex or Da Gama.