By Soleil Paz
Staff Writer
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The time has come to cut the ribbon: the Picotte Center for Art and Design is opening the new digital color photography studios and fabrication lab on Friday, Nov. 7.
This event marks the end of a three-year project to transform as well as renovate the art program and photography facilities.
Suffice to say, after the long wait, the photography faculty are very pleased that the time has finally come. Paul Mauren, the chair of the Art Department, was able to sit down with The Chronicle to share his take on upcoming events. Mauren explained, “We had this machine that suddenly became very old and antiquated, and it was like having an old furnace in your house that kept your house hot and warm, but was very inefficient.”
Mauren went on to say that originally, photography students used an analog darkroom to develop their film-based pictures. The technology that furnished the old darkroom is something that had survived since the early 1980s and has since seen a loss of quality in its products. Those in the Art Department who drafted the first proposal for its renewal viewed the analog technology as a “disservice to our students” because it was not providing adequate experience with digital work for the modern photography industry.
The addition of the new digital lab presents a whole new range of possibilities and opportunity, going toward the benefit of several people and organizations on campus. It was very important to the department that the resources did not solely go toward those who are art affiliated, but also toward other areas and interdisciplinary studies.
Because The College of Saint Rose is nationally accredited for its art programs, it was no surprise that the photography faculty sought to maintain that status. With such equipment at our disposal, the modernization of design will continue to unfold.
As a celebration for the newest design opportunities, there will be an open house starting at 5 p.m. and a special dedication ceremony at 6 p.m. in Picotte. The building will be open to the public so that everyone will be able to see how revamped the photo studios have become. The ceremony following will feature speeches from the Saint Rose president and a number of members of the Art Department. During this time, machinery including a universal laser cutter, 3D printer and scanner, two large-format printers, and four high-resolution scanners will be introduced.
Said Art Coordinator Sarah Grzymala on the open house and dedication ceremony, “[They are] going to trace over the past moderations of Picotte, what the new digital lab offers, and how it benefits not only the art students, but how it’s going to open up new classes to other students on campus as well. We’re hoping to get more non-major classes going in things like Photoshop.”
Hoping that more non-major students would have enough courage to make the trip to Picotte, Grzymala added, “It’s really a shame that a lot of students don’t even know that we exist down here, so it’s really an opportunity for them to come down here and see and learn more about non-major art classes. Or hey, if they want to become an art major, they’re welcome to that, too.”
There will be regular shuttles running throughout the evening to bring students to and from Picotte for the event, and anyone who finds the time in their schedule to attend would certainly be welcome.
