Dean Joseph S. Lewis III

The world of the Alfred art student. Ask most people familiar with Harder Hall, and they’ll describe those seemingly hundreds of cluttered spaces tucked away in an almost labyrinthine tangle of halls.

It can be any time of day, though in many cases, it is very, very late, when creativity seems to be at its height. A student is bent over a potter’s wheel, trying to coax a symmetrical form out of a shapeless mound of clay, or perhaps there is a student perched on a ladder, reaching up to put the finishing strokes of paint on a canvas that extends nearly to the ceiling.

In essence, this has been the life of the Alfred art student for over a century, and will continue to be part of all young artists’ training and preparation. However, there has been a quiet, though steady, evolution going on in art and art education over the past two decades, and Joseph S. Lewis III, dean of the NYS College of Ceramics School of Art & Design, is making sure that his students not only develop their creative talents, but prepare for careers as innovative professional artists.

“If I were to sum up what the Alfred experience is for our young artists, it’s ‘interdisciplinary activity,’” Dean Lewis emphasizes, “and here at Alfred, we’re taking full advantage of all our resources.

“As I reflect upon my five years at Alfred, more than ever I realize the world and people have changed, and how art is integrated into society has changed,” says Dean Lewis. “A lot more critical discussion and theoretical curiosity is taking place regarding art, and successful artists have multilayered roles. They are producers, organizers, educators, and entrepreneurs. The blending of the resources of the School of Art & Design with other Alfred University schools and offices, as well as outside partners, is providing a more complete educational experience to our students.

“In my many travels,” Dean Lewis recounts, “I have found that Alfred’s imprimatur is very strong, especially in the areas of graduate ceramics and glass. So, in particular, we are looking forward to the expansion of our existing international partnerships.

“Faculty members such as John Gill ’75 and Wayne Higby, Peer Bode, Xiaowen Chen and Joseph Scheer ’84, have had connections in China at Beijing’s Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) for several years, and there are some exciting new developments there that will affect students. We are putting finishing touches on a master of fine arts in electronic integrated arts through which Chinese students will get their Alfred MFA in China. There are numerous exchange possibilities that will be included in that opportunity.”

Also, a ceramic program that’s connected to a manufacturing base is also nearing completion there and will expand the students’ creative foundation to include teaching, residencies, and the incorporation of CNC (computer numerical control) manufacturing processes for large-scale production. It is connected to an existing manufacturing facility which will provide the students with comprehensive, high-tech, real-world training.

“These unique opportunities will continue to build upon AU’s legacy and will allow our students to interact within the international realm.

“We are also looking forward to the new bachelor of science degree in art history debuting this fall,” Dean Lewis adds. “We want to attract the student who has a high talent skill level in the creation of art, along with serious immersion into the history of art. What makes this unique is that prior to selecting this as a major, or concentration, the students have to already be accepted into the School of Art & Design on the basis of their portfolio. This major will appeal to the art student who has the ability to achieve a special balance of creativity and organizational skills.”

With society’s increased concern for the environment and sustainability, Dean Lewis says that efforts have been taking place here to ensure that students and the institution are active in service learning. The student initiative RePo (Reusable Materials Depot) was founded in 2006 by art student Bland Hoke ’07 after recognizing a need to recycle excess and discarded supplies from art students, faculty, businesses, and residents for use by other art students. The RePo Center garnered AU’s 2006-07 Bergren Student Innovation Award for Hoke and continues to thrive under the oversight of current students.

“Not only is RePo an environmentally-conscious enterprise, but it has resulted in thousands of dollars in savings for waste management costs for the University, and savings to students’ materials costs,” Dean Lewis comments. “This spring the School of Art and Design held workshops on solar energy, as well as biodiesel fuel in conjunction with the Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering. Again, in a cross-disciplinary way, our students have greater awareness and are involved.”

A much anticipated addition to Harder Hall is the McGee Pavilion. Tentatively scheduled for completion in late 2011, this facility will have a ceramics area, a two-story exhibit space to accommodate large-scale work, and an area for high definition audio/visual productions. “We’re calling this the ‘black box,” Lewis explains. “This is a high tech, enclosed 24 feet x 24 feet space that will allow artists to experiment and create within ‘immersive virtual reality.’ Through the use of multilayered video projections and sounds – or for that matter, any creative work that requires an enclosed space – the students will be physically put into a simulated environment that is limited only by their imaginations.”

Dean Lewis also cites a recent on-campus example of the interdisciplinary approach that he feels is essential to the future of the School of Art & Design’s mission. The School is partnering with AU’s College of Business to establish an e-commerce site for AU’s Cohen Center Gallery. “If this won’t be the country’s first e-commerce site that exhibits and sells high quality alumni and faculty work from within the institution, it has to be one of the first. Students will gain a wide range of exposure to most aspects of the professional gallery experience, including curatorial work, display projects, and sales,” he says.

“I’m very excited about what’s going to be happening over the next 10 years in the School of Art & Design. We will continue to be creative in our use of resources and facilities in Harder Hall and the other departments on the Alfred University campus. But, most importantly, we will continually rethink our pedagogical strategies as we guide students toward successful and dynamic careers as multidisciplinary artists and leaders.”

Tags: Alfred University, BFA, ceramic art, Joseph S. Lewis, MFA, School of Art & Design

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