A Look Behind the New Art Spaces of Tri-C East 

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By Natalie Steponick 

New opened, and natural-lit art workspaces at Tri-C East for various mediums create an atmosphere where innovation can flourish. Throughout the halls, students’ work is on display, sparking an enthusiasm for artistic expression. Further walking into the halls and witnessing students immerse themselves in their craft, these studios are destined to become a hub of creativity, bridging the gap between creation and collaboration.  

Renovations on the East Education Center for new art classrooms started towards the end of the Fall 2023 semester and recently concluded, marking a pivotal moment for East Campus. To gain insight into the motivations behind this significant development, I reached out to Dr. Kitchen, President of Eastern Campus.  

Dr. Kitchen emphasized, “Our college’s Capital and Construction Division, under the leadership of Vice President Cindy Leitson, led a comprehensive effort to involve members of the Art faculty and leadership in the discovery and creative phases of the project.” He discussed how other classrooms prior to the pandemic were renovated and is now accomplishing the same for the art spaces. “We wanted to retain several of the design elements, including colors, shapes, natural lighting, and certain design features.”  

I also spoke to Professor Katz, who is my current Painting I class professor, about the differences between the old and new spaces. She discussed how the classrooms were worn, “The old spaces were very old, with tiles falling off the ceiling in multiple rooms, 2x4s holding up cabinets in the Sculpture studio… I always appreciated the amount of space I had in the old Open Studio where we taught painting, drawing, and life drawing, but things were definitely due for an upgrade.” Furthermore, Professor Katz states, “We have only been in the new spaces a few weeks now, so I am very interested in hearing more about students’ experiences in the new studios… The studio art classrooms have been completely transformed. There are new hallways and special little nooks, and everyone is happily getting used to the new space.” 

On October 17th, from 10 am to 2 pm, the art faculty is holding a grand opening of space. The event will include tours and demonstrations, and refreshments will be served as well. Both mention hope for a sense of partnership and togetherness being developed amongst students from the renovations. They are also hopeful that more students will enroll in art courses. 

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