It would appear that students matriculating at a professional art college would want to continue with a career in art - choosing

to attend such a specialized college rather than a university indicates surety. Thus it might seem counterintuitive to devote a large amount of time and effort studying subjects outside of their chosen field. However, I believe that the study of liberal arts contributes to the development of an artist's ability to create and appreciate art. It is not merely the content itself, but also the skills absorbed from the study of liberal arts, that can enrich an artists work whatever specialization one eventually pursues. To simply master the technical skills of drawing or sculpting, or study the theories of composition and color, would amount to mere craftsmanship. The nature of contemporary art is such that we expect more than mere description of a scene artworks have to say more than what the eye can see alone. Whatever the form or media, art is always about something, or expresses something. Even if a piece about art itself, given the meta qualities of post-modernism, it is always about art in relation to other fields, or from the perspective of the human experience, always within some greater context. The study of liberal arts can provide artists with a much richer and more comprehensive background to anchor their works to. Thus, it is unwise to limit ones studies to the history and making of art so early on in ones career a wider range of exploration through liberal arts can sow the seeds for many ideas that will broaden the thematic concerns of ones work. Of the huge myriad of topics art can address, probably the most important and inescapable theme is people. Whether it is about our emotions, perceptions, struggles with society, or relationship with our environment, art cannot avoid the human condition. After all, artists are people, trying to depict the world through their personal sensual and mental filters for an audience made of other people. Thus artists must not be segregated from the sentiment or culture of their times. If an artist seeks to provoke a certain response to his work, he must be able to understand the way others think, to connect by using signifiers and ideas common to everyone and not just other artists. The stereotype of the eccentric, isolated painter who knows nothing beyond his studio has long become irrelevant. Of course, there is also a more pragmatic advantage to being able to relate to other people the professional artist is likely to have to interact with non-artists in his future career, be they clients or gallery owners. Therefore, to have liberal arts in the curriculum, instead of just a very specialized training in the arts, is necessary to facilitate such empathy with an audience. Furthermore, such empathy for other people can act as inspiration for making art. I have always felt that one of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist is the ability to convey ideas when other channels are inadequate, whether it is because of the limits of language or the audiences desensitization. Therefore, art can, and should be employed as a very powerful medium for social and political commentary. An education in liberal arts is important in order to expose artists to the issues that affect their communities and perhaps motivate them to add their opinions to the throng. Yet another important aspect of studying the liberal arts is the skills or habits to be gained from doing so. The areas covered are generally less clear-cut and more subjective than one might find in the sciences. The spirit of experimentation to be gained from the sciences can be applied to working with different media or styles in art. Rigor and conciseness from mathematics Sensitivities in Literature, analysis of symbols and nuances. Though the subjects themselves seem disconnected to art, they help support the artist's technical abilities. Experimentation with media, with finding the best way to express an idea always leads to a more effective piece. The rigor to put in what only what needs to be there to convey the message and the leave out the superfluous. Also liberal arts education is known for training critical thinking and analytical skills, which are necessary to appreciate other art and to defend one's own. Observational skills also. To draw is to look closely at something, to know what exactly it is you are trying to capture, and thinking about how best to represent it. Also there is likely to be conflicting ideas since humanities hinge on the behavior and responses of individuals. This usually means subjectivity because of the subjectivity that leads to different people having different opinions about things like Literature and History etc. Since art is generally considered the most subjective field of all, the ability to reconcile contradictions and work with different perspectives can lead to richer, more multilayered artworks. Either through discussion become convinced of a different opinion, or become clearer in articulating your own. Both have benefits in artistic expression. Conclusion In conclusion, the