August Lambrecht, a senior visual arts and film studies major, works in his art studio. Photo by Penh Alicandro ’22
At Eckerd College, art students have dedicated studios to work on their projects 24 hours a day.
Ezio Severens, a senior visual arts and French major from Takoma Park, Maryland, recalls their first night in their art studio. Ezio has insomnia, so he prefers to work late at night. Their parents, being in a different time zone, could talk on the phone while Ezio created their art.
“It’s really pretty unheard of for undergraduates to have studios,” says Assistant Professor of Visual Arts and Discipline Coordinator Rachel de Cuba.
As an undergraduate, de Cuba and her partner—also an artist—had to split the floor space in their apartment to work on art projects. She didn’t have a campus space with 24-hour access to work on her art.
As an undergraduate, de Cuba and her partner—also an artist—had to split the floor space in their apartment to work on art projects. She didn’t have a campus space with 24-hour access to work on her art.
Ezio Severens often works in their art studio late at night. Photo by Penh Alicandro ’22
For Ezio, the studio allows him to maintain a creative flow by working at the time of day that aligns with his energy, whether it be a break between classes or at three in the morning.
The seven art studios at Eckerd are designed for visual arts majors and accommodate four students each. Junior and senior students get priority, though sophomores can occasionally get a studio space. Seniors are expected to put on a full gallery exhibition as a solo or two-person show to develop a coherent body of work and professionally present this work.
The art classrooms at Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd) were housed in an empty dormitory from 1964-1970, as seen by the presence of a kiln in this dorm room. Photo courtesy of Arthur Skinner ’72
“You have to be a major in order to qualify for a studio,” de Cuba says. “You get the privilege, because we have the expectation of and rigor of a program that you need the studio—you need the space and time.”
Though Eckerd’s art studios are a longstanding feature of campus, they weren’t always what they are today. In 1964, as the art department was growing, the only available space for additional art classrooms was an empty residence hall. Rather than try to teach in residence hall rooms, students used them as studio space.
“Welding happened in the downstairs dorm lounge area. The upstairs bath served as a darkroom. The downstairs bath once served for fabric dyeing,” says Professor Emeritus of Visual Arts and Gallery Director Arthur Skinner ’72.
Empty dorm rooms in Gandhi House temporarily housed art facilities from 1964-1970. Photo courtesy of Arthur Skinner ’72
“Ceramics happened in a dorm room. Glazes were stored in the closet,” he says.
Classes for critique were held either in the upstairs dorm lounge or the complex lounge, and occasionally outside, Skinner says.
Students work across mediums in their studios, and Ezio primarily works with pen drawing and pyrography, or embellishing wood using controlled burn marks from a heated metal tool.
August Lambrecht, a senior visual arts and film studies major from San Antonio, Texas, often works with graphic design, painting and filmmaking.
August appreciates the small class sizes at Eckerd and the tight-knit community he’s found. In his studio, while working alongside other students, he feels that he receives constructive feedback that some people may not feel comfortable enough to share in a class setting.
“It’s good to be in a space where I get the input of other artists, instead of just creating in a vacuum,” August says.
