The Art Department at UMass Lowell
The Art Department's studio facilities, administrative office, six faculty offices, the University Gallery and two student galleries are evenly distributed between two buildings (McGauvran Student Center and Dugan Hall) on the south campus.
The Art Department administrative office is located in the
McGauvran Student Center at 71 Wilder Street, Lowell, MA. There is a visitor
parking lot across the street from McGauvran Student Center. The office
staff can be contacted at 978 934-3494. Students can pick-up forms, find
out who their faculty advisor is, get general questions answered, and
leave messages for faculty at the Art Department office.
O'Leary Library, which is physically attached to McGauvran by an enclosed
crosswalk, houses Media Services. Media Services is administered by the
Director of Libraries and provides student and faculty check out access
for video equipment, projection equipment, video/films, portable computers,
cameras, and media/lecture rooms. These services, combined with Department
resources, are adequate to meet the needs of the B.F.A. program at UMass
Lowell.
McGauvran Student Center
The Art Department occupies the entire ground floor of the McGauvran Student Center. Along with the Art Department's main administrative office, three faculty members have offices in the McGauvran space near or adjacent to their individual studio areas. Also included in the McGauvran facility are the University Gallery and a small but highly visible student photography gallery.
The studio facilities in McGauvran include three computer labs, one graphic design/illustration studio, one printmaking studio, one photography classroom, one professional photography studio and two darkroom facilities.
University Gallery
The University Gallery is nicely situated in a corner location
on the ground floor of the McGauvran Student Center with a window wall
facing the south campus quadrangle. The hallway outside the double glass
doors leading into the gallery is used as a reception space and publicity
posting area. The gallery has 12’ ceilings with a very effective
adjustable track lighting system. The University Gallery provides approximately
90' of available exhibition quality wall space.
University Gallery
Student Photography Gallery
At the opposite end of McGauvran, in the Foyer outside the photography classroom and studio there is a small glass protected gallery with approximately 16' of wall space for rotating photography exhibitions.
Computer Labs
The Art Department operates three computer labs in McGauvran. At 825 sq.
ft., the Digital Imaging and Graphic Design Lab is a teaching facility
for both Digital Media Art and Graphic Design. It is equipped with twenty
student Macintosh computer stations (PowerMac G4/1GHz), an instructor
computer station with projector and sound system, a scanning computer
station, a video in and out computer station, flatbed scanners, slide
scanner, color laser printer, and a high resolution ink jet color printer.
All of the equipment is networked and internet connected.
The adjacent Advanced Imaging Lab is used for advanced level production by students enrolled in 3D Animation, Interactive media, Senior Studio, and Directed or Independent Studies. This 360 sq. ft. lab is equipped with fifteen student computer stations (PowerMac G4/1GHz).
The computer labs are open evenings after day class end
and for 18 hours of student use on the weekends.
Computer Labs
Printmaking Facility
The 840 sq. ft. printmaking studio is located in McGauvran across the hall from the computer labs. It contains an adequate number of work-tables and chairs as well as storage cabinets for print materials. There are two electric presses and one manual press. As electives, the Printmaking and Monotypes courses are offered on a staggered semester basis and only one section of one of the offerings is scheduled in the same semester.
Photography Classroom/Studio/Darkrooms
The photography lab and professional studio is divided into three parts: one classroom, one full-scale professional strobe studio with cathedral ceiling, and two black & white darkrooms. Each of these areas functions independently of one another. The photography classroom area is an open space providing natural light, a number of flat working tables and adequate wall surfaces for critique and viewing work in process. The classroom space includes a light table, negative drying cabinet and print drying racks. The primary film processing area is part of the classroom space. There is a faculty office contiguous to the classroom, professional studio and darkrooms.
In the past year both the studio and the darkrooms have
enjoyed considerable improvements in both structural facilities as well
as equipment additions allowing the Art Department to enroll more students
in the photography concentration. Foremost among the physical improvements
has been the installation of a state-of-the-art Kreolite above-sink ventilation
system, two Kreolite temperature controlled processing sinks, a built-in
Kreolite print washer, and a heated negative drying cabinet. In the studio
area, professional strobe equipment (with 2000 and 2400 watt capacity
to six strobe heads with variable isolate/combine settings) and accessories
such as professional studio platform tripod stands and Mamiya RB67 medium
format camera, standard and studio flash meters, filter gel and studio
lighting accessory additions have increased the scope of the professional
photography course capabilities. Six Saunders color head enlargers have
been added over the years to the beginning photography courses. Currently
the main darkroom holds five enlarger stations opposite a line of sinks
for print developing. A secondary darkroom is used primarily by beginning
photography students with four enlargers spaced around the counter tops
and one central ceiling safelight.
Photography Darkroom
Dugan Hall Facility
The Art Department occupies the entire ground floor of Dugan
Hall. There are three full-time faculty offices near and/or adjacent to
the studio areas and there is one office which is shared by part-time
adjunct faculty teaching in studio arts. Also included in the Dugan Hall
facility is the Dugan Gallery, primarily used for rotating student exhibitions.
The studio facilities in Dugan include one large drawing studio, one open
area where drawing and foundations courses are taught, one space where
painting is taught, a small student resource room, a sink room for clean-up
and the sculpture area where foundations, sculpture, ceramics, papermaking
and bookarts are taught.
Dugan Hall/Gallery
Dugan Student Gallery
The Dugan Student Gallery is located adjacent to the painting area. It is a 18’ X 32’ area with two long walls, and three shorter walls. The front of the gallery is a solid glass wall with glass double doors.
Drawing Studio
Drawing is taught in a large 45’ x 22’ room
consisting of two walls which can be used to pin up work. The room may
be accessed by two doors, and has an adjoining small still-life storage
room. There are storage locker units for student use. The room is adequate
in size for the two drawing courses required in the freshman foundation
that results in five sections per semester. In addition, the space is
used for elective courses such as watermedia and figure drawing.
Drawing Studio
Painting Studio
The painting area is a 35’ x 35’ space located
adjacent to the drawing studio, and the student gallery. Storage cabinets,
chemical disposal barrels, and paint rag disposal containers are located
in the area for student use. A cleanup room with four sink units and a
painting storage room behind it adjoins the area.
Painting Studio
Sculpture/Ceramics Studios
The sculpture/ceramics studio occupies approximately 3,500 sq. ft. of space at the south end of Dugan Hall on the ground level. There are numerous stainless steel sinks with deep basins, ceramic tile floors and walls throughout. There is a loading dock adjacent to the sculpture/ceramics studio making delivery of materials convenient. While 3,500 sq. ft. of space appears large, it is actually broken up into many smaller spaces.
The largest space is used as a classroom/studio area for lectures, technical demonstrations and group critiques. In the main studio area there is a spray booth with outside venting and a welding area with an overhead hood and venting. Other equipment in this area includes a metal shear/brake and roll machine and a clay extruder. The main studio area also has an adequate number of storage lockers for students. There is a 5HP air compressor with drop connections to service the entire studio and shop. This main studio area is used by the following courses: Art Concepts II, Sculpture, Ceramics, Papermaking and Bookarts. These courses are offered on alternating semesters making it possible to share the facility.
The woodshop is adjacent to the main studio space with a
single doorway for access. The woodshop includes a table saw, band saw,
drill press, table belt sander and dust collection system.
The ceramics area is located adjacent to the main studio. There is a slab
roller, two electric kilns, glaze storage, mixing areas, shelves and three
large stainless steel work sinks.
Sculpture/Ceramics Studio
Senior Studio Work Space
Students working on their B.F.A. senior fine arts projects are given studio space in a secure area. Students using the Senior Studio Space are given keys and are allowed access on weekends and holidays as well as during the school week.