What I Did After Art School
As I mentioned in a previous post, Professor Louis Finkelstein, the Art Department Chairman abruptly walked out on me at my senior thesis show when I mentioned that I was about to be a single mom declaring it to be impossible that I could also be an Artist. He previously had offered to sponsor me to the notable, Robert Pincus-Witten for a Whitney Museum Graduate Fellowship program but suddenly I was anathema. That event took my breath away for quite some time until I began to gather the pieces of me that felt flayed and strewn to the wind.
So what did I do to salvage my heart and soul? Since 4 years of art school didn’t train me for anything remotely connected with making a living, I knew I needed more education. I also found out that if you worked at a college your tuition was free. So I made a list of colleges I wanted to attend & found a job in the career services office at Barnard College. During my lunch hours, I attended computer programming classes at Columbia School of Engineering. Going from such intense right brain to left brain work was so difficult it often physically hurt.
Barnard at the time was a bastion of feminism and my boss, Martha Green guided me and untold numbers of other women into successful and rewarding careers based upon skills which, I for one did not know I had. She recognized in me untapped horizons and restored my confidence.
Mary Ahern demonstrating the Chyron Chameleon electronic paint system 1986 at the Cablevision television studio in Woodbury New York
From the support and direction I received from the women surrounding me at Barnard, I launched my career into sales, because that’s where the money was, and computers, because that’s where the future was. I zig-zagged my career in computers over the years to capitalize on my Fine Arts degree by selling computer graphics equipment to the creative departments in the television broadcast and industries. My art helped me sell those systems.
So here I am, still painting, still an Artist, proud of having supported and raised my sons on my own. Now I work every day in my studio surrounded by the gardens I created that inspire my Art.
I kept my eyes and ears open and when one mentor slammed the door another mentor opened it for me so I could charge through. Success is the sweetest revenge. Thank you Martha!
Bravo Mary! Such a great story – thank you for sharing!
Queens College was notoriously harsh to art students in the 70s and 80s with many students in tears from harsh reviews. Words like dilettante were thrown around continually. There were (fortunately) many extremely talented professionl artists teaching there as well so at least there was balance. I had one not so supportive dude tell me I wasn’t painting I was only doing tinted drawings. Or I’m not an artist I’m an illustrator. Being a smart ass NYC kid who had a fabulous mentor since 15 I swatted back at him regularly. He never gave me a high grade even though I certainly deserved it. I was lucky. I heard many students told they should take up anothet hobby. Thank god the good teachers were fantastic artists as well. My sr review was a sweet victory when I overheard the panel saying wow! Who did these? Even the beasts.
In the end I am grateful for even the harsh critics. Being a female Artist you have to be tough and that early commando training comes in handy.
Yes indeed Virginia the critiques were harsh but I appreciated them because they motivated me and toughened me up. The art world is tough as a female artist but it’s not all that easy on the males either. Experiencing those critiques and learning where to store them so they didn’t destroy me helped me in the equally difficult world of sales. I thank my Professors Robert Birmelin & Herb Aach who were my mentors and truly encouraged my work and my style. My understanding and love of color was instilled in me by Prof. Aach. Wolf Kahn on the other hand praised my work if I painted in his style and was extraordinarily harsh to me if I didn’t.
I’m eternally grateful for the comprehensive art education I received at Queens College. I’ve carried those lessons on a daily basis in my studio and elsewhere throughout my life. .
Dear Mary Ahern,
So good to hear the story of your courage and perseverance. It’s heartening to know that your experience at Queens Art Dept., eventually found a use at a later point in your remarkable career. In looking back I realize that many of the dismissive things said in crits were often often made from the too narrowly focused ideological positions of faculty members, sometimes, myself included .
Even so the faculty( almost all men) was made up of serious artists who took their profession seriously.
Were women students often undervalued and treated as less worthy than the men? YES. Women had to work harder and be more assertive to receive the same level of attention as men. The ingrained sexism of that generation of us men (artists included) was pervasive and often unconscious ( I don’t exempt myself either). It took the courage and determination of many of women, like you to move the dial toward greater respect and equality.
If you imagine from this that I have been influenced by a smart ,strong woman you would be right. My dear wife, Blair and I have discussed,and often argued about these issues for over 50 years.
I enjoyed seeing the photo showing your paintings.You still love color.
I’m fortunate to be still painting and drawing, working in my studio in Midtown Manhattan, following out my imagination.
My best regards,
Robert
I am so pleased to hear from you Prof Birmelin! It is such a treat to be able to thank someone for the support they gave you 40 years ago during the difficult formative years of my art school education. You encouraged me to pursue my own style and that my voice had merit. You took me aside when you saw that I was attacked cruelly by another professor and confirmed that I was an Artist, that my own personal work was strong and that I should stay focused on my vision. That was such an important gift you gave me and one which I still carry through my art to this day. Thank you!