I realize this is a broad question, but my life has changed drastically in the last few months, and I'm looking to experience more before I get too old. I know the usual answers like getting married, having kids, and so on.
I'm more interested in skills, hobbies, fields of education, practices, habits, and experiences that have shaped (for the better) the person you are today.
You're welcome!
Fine Art can include web and graphic design. They are marketable skills. After all, every commercial, movie, magazine uses principles of art and design. Think of graphic design like this:
Graphic design is to art as statistics is to math.
Statistics is not math but it uses math. Graphic design is not art but it uses art.
From there, you can go in to web design (which is high paying), graphic design, not quite as high paying but still cushy. You could do print, electronic media, advertising. With a little more, you could go into design and principle photography of film as film uses the same principles of art in each shot. If you combine Art History and Chemistry majors, you could restore art pieces (such as the Mona Lisa) - imagine how few people do this and how much it could pay to restore world famous pieces of art!
Everything you see, use, touch in some way uses elements of design. Even architecture (though sometimes not quite as much).
Probably the most important thing I could say on this, however, is that art, especially meaningful art, requires that you be aware of and in touch with your emotions.
Not too often you hear about people getting the fine arts degree after the programming one ;)
When I was in school I considered going into graphic design. I won a few local contests for logo design before college, and even landed a small scholarship, but I decided against the major in favor of a more "marketable" degree. Your story makes me think that I should look into art again. It would definitely balance out my highly "left brain" career, even if just as a hobby.
Thanks for the reply, and for sharing your art!