After two years of meeting out of a traditional classroom, this year the Suffolk Visual Arts Club has moved to a whole new space. Originally meeting on the 10th floor of the Sawyer building, the club now meets in A29 of the building on Wednesdays at 6 p.m., a quick elevator ride to the basement. This new space has various features that make it more suitable for the club’s needs, including overhead lights, a central conference-like set up and proximity to the storage room.
“It was really hard to expand the club in just a classroom space, and I don’t think anyone in their right mind is willing to carry a bunch of art supplies up to the 10th floor, that was really hard,” said club President Toby Lage. “We have a local, circular table instead of the rows, [the rows] felt like just a classroom, now it feels like an actual creative space. We also have some more tools here, like the measuring board, which genuinely would be great for some bigger projects.”
Glory, a club attendee visiting from Massachusetts Bay Community College, pointed out other key factors of the new room.
“I like the spotlights, it sort of gives it a cozy-like environment, I also like the conference tables, everybody can look at each other while meeting. It seems like a pretty well-flowing classroom,” said Glory.
The new space also allows Lage to expand the club’s goals.
“I want to have, over the course of the semester, taught the essential fundamentals of art to the point where students can go out and do it with their own creative passions,” said Lage.
Fernanda, a sophomore club member, has already felt the difference with these new club goals.
“My favorite part of this space has been the creativity, just a lot of art and concepts I wouldn’t normally think about when starting an art project, but it gave me a lot of perspective on how everybody is different in their own creative way,” Fernanda said.
Lage’s plans also extend outside of the club’s new space, wanting to expand the club to become more of a staple in the Suffolk community. He’s excited to expand the club’s outreach and start connecting with other community groups on campus.
Suffolk’s Visual Arts Club was only founded three years ago, when Lage was a sophomore and a founding member. He truly cares about its longevity at Suffolk after he leaves. His passion for art and the club can be felt when visiting, and expressing his final hope for the club, he wants the club to be a leading club on campus because “an art club should be a staple of any school.”
