OAaSIS International Foundation (Jamaica)

Contrary to popular belief, you dont have to be a singer who has busted out, an actor, or painter who has sold a piece of art for millions. There are other jobs that need skill and talent to attract those dollars.
Some of them are:

Makeup Artist
Celebrities hire their own personal makeup assistants to help them out behind the scenes of a big act, or simply to be all dolled up before hitting the town. Makeup artists with less than two years of experience can make up to US$400 a day. The best entry into that career field is not a standard education, but gaining an apprenticeship under established makeup artists.

Publicist
Celebrities thrive on the work of publicists. Publicists and public relations managers ensure that the face of celebrities remains forefront in the public domain. Damage control, which means keeping the client’s name and face out of the public when things go wrong is therefore critical. The earnings potential for an effective publicist is virtually unlimited as the work they do is considered ever so critical worldwide.

Recording Engineer
Behind the singer, musician or the producer that soak up all the fame for a hit song or album, is a recording engineer. Recording engineers basically run the mixing board and other controls, for songs to get recorded. At the entry-level, recording engineer can earn as low as between US$25,000 and $35,000 a year, but with experience collections get higher.

Visual Effects Supervisor
The need for creative people trained in the craft of effects is climbing. Computer effects today are no longer limited to just science fiction and fantasy films. CGI specialists are popular. The salary for a visual effects supervisor depends on the budget of the film itself, but earnings in excess of $100,000 a year is more often possible.

Photographer
Photographers who work consistently continues to grow. Photographers are critical at every level, from shooting fashion layouts for local newspaper advertisements to documenting a mere road tour. At the entry level, on-the-job training is considered as valuable as formal education. Although few reach the legendary status, a six-figure income is not uncommon.

Screenwriter
If you have the talent of putting words to paper and are able to visualize imagery in prose, it is possible to earn a more than decent living by writing short industrial training films. These are the kinds of 15 to 30 minute long films used to train employees or reveal a company’s strengths to potential investors or advertisers. This kind of screenwriting certainly does not bring fame, but it can quite easily bring a six-figure fortune.

Songwriter
After the shot at fame as a singer, it is time to discover that the real way of earning money is is as a songwriter. Although rock and roll introduced the concept of the singer/songwriter as the standard, the fact is that many of the most famous singing acts of all time have never written a song in their lives. Being paid to write songs is quite lucrative, of course, but songwriting continues to remain one of the most lucrative of all the careers in the arts thanks to royalties. Once a song becomes a hit, every single time it is played on the radio or in the mall or during a movie, the songwriter gets a little more money. In some cases a songwriter can eventually make more money from a hit song than the much more famous singer.

DID YOU KNOW that OAaSIS International Founder Anthea McGibbon was once a sought out wedding photographer, while she practiced her skills as a photographer?
When she can by appointment, she still takes photographs professionally.

Read more on the reference site by clicking here

Others on the list are:
art director
investigators require some level of artistry
interior decorator

Over 200 parents around Jamaica were asked if they would support their children seeking a career in visual art, and needless to say less than a handful were clueless of the field beyond applying paint to canvas to capture a Jamaican scene, and then struggling for months along the sidewalks to sell it.
On the other hand, some parents question the outcome of their child’s dream to move past waiting outside a studio to ‘burst’ or even that the potential actor would even get a role worth even slightest mention. Will the diary of thoughts become a best seller or a regrettable waste of time?
This is unfortunate, especially when so many tools are available to teach and research on just about anything.
Additionally, a priority for parents, suffice to say, should be showing at least some interest in what amuses or captures the attention of your child, research it thus qualifiying his/herself to be better able to comment and make sound judgement.
Approximately 75 per cent of artists in Jamaica are self-employed, and with proper systems in place can make a decent living. Contributing better to society, artists who are successful can assist in advancing the country better, easing much strain off the government. This is no invitation for the government to implement systems to further disadvantage the artists amongst us, especially the struggling ones, and those living and/or earning far below their potential, especially in comparison to other countries.

Research, just might surprise parents.
On the other hand, the common assault of Jamaicans, especially those seeking to employ the services of or purchase products by artists usually want to do so to the disadvantage of the artist.
Quite frankly, this is another valid reason some parents prevent their children from pursuing a career in art, especially if they are to remain in Jamaica.
While some potential employers strive to undercut the artist, underpaying them, some artists are clueless and about the value of their work. This, however, is not to excuse the artist who often overprice their work especially in the quest for a fast buck.
Their ought to be guidelines, and recorded rules. There ought to be at the very least an identifying of possible careers, and quite frankly lines drawn on what should be free, especially when it comes to creative thought, human efforts. Art is found in every aspect of life, and strata of society.
It’s full time we as Jamaicans reacquaint ourselves or become even slightly familiar with the elements and mechanisms of art as an exciting career. After all, there is art when you choose the clothes you wear, designed by someone; there is art in motion in areas such as architecture. Even nature by its order and colour schemes bear the greatest aspects of art.

Here are a few career paths for the upcoming artist:

VISUAL ARTS CAREERS LIBRARY on OAaSIS or click any from the list on the founder, Anthea McGibbon’s site by clicking here

VISUAL ARTS CAREERS LIBRARY ON Anthea’s Media website Click here

PERFORMING ARTS CAREERS LIBRARY on Anthea’s media website. Click here

LITERARY ARTS CAREERS LIBRARY on Anthea’s media website. Click here

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See more detail, or here at What to do with your art training