Winthrop Opens In-House Art Studio

A new art studio opening next month in Winthrop House will provide the equipment and atmosphere for students to work on their artistic crafts, its organizers say.

At an introductory meeting last night, students discussed how they would like to organize the studio, which is scheduled to open Nov. 9 in the basement of D entry. They said they hope the facility will encourage group critiques of their own work and organize field trips to art museums.

The idea for a space dedicated to creating and discussing student art came to Winthrop House Tutor Zoe P. McKiness several months ago.

“I really like the idea of exploring other subjects,” said McKiness, who is studying for a doctorate in biology. “A lot of people feel that they aren’t artistic or that they can’t be creative. So I think time in a studio actually producing something can be really valuable.”

Winthrop House is funding the studio, which will provide easels, acrylic paint, sketchbooks and other art supplies. Students are expected to buy their own palettes and surfaces on which to paint.

While the focus will initially be giving the participants a place to paint, the studio may become more organized, as participants organize exercises dealing with shape, color and composition.

“I think it’s great that it’s getting set up,” said Seth A. Ament ’03, who took a painting class as a first-year. “It’s hard to find opportunities to paint outside of classes.”

The opening of the studio follows another advance for the arts in Winthrop, when the House Drama Society was revived last month.

The studio will be open every Saturday afternoon, with hours currently scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. If there is a higher demand, McKiness said, it may be open on other dates and group critiques could occur during the week about once a month.

Only five people attended yesterday’s meeting, but McKiness said she has talked with about 30 students interested in the studio.