Cedars, February 2018

February 2018 14 ART & ENTERTAINMENT The Studio New leadership and members revived Cedarville University’s art organization after a year of dormancy by Kaileigh Willis N ew officers and students have revived Cedarville University’s The Studio, an organization for lovers of creativity from watercolor painters to sketch artists. According to the organization’s constitution, The Stu- dio, Society of Art + Design was formed in 2010. Its purpose is to encourage the study of art, to connect art and design majors and students with similar passions, and to give art and design assistance to Cedarville University as well as other clients. The Studio is open to all students and is not limited to art and design majors. Although attendance to the Studio has declined within the last few years, The Studio has been revitalized. Through its weekly sketch nights and other art events, the organi- zation hopes to encourage art lovers of all different skills, majors and perspectives to come together for a time of fel- lowship, creativity, and fun. According to the president, Tasha Peterson, the art org meets for weekly sketch nights on Tuesday evenings at 8 in the back of Stinger’s. During these meetings, students of different majors and creative abilities bring their own art supplies and gather with other artists to create and fellow- ship with one another. Although the meetings are referred to as “sketch nights,” they are not limited to one specific art style. A wide array of skill levels and forms of art are represented at the meetings, from simple doodles to impressive watercolor paintings. Stu- dents can ask others for feedback on their pieces and appreci- ate each others’ creativity. Some students bring their art proj- ects to work on while others bring their homework simply because they love the community and conversation. The Studio’s informal environment makes it more unique than any other organization on campus. Students attend sketch nights whenever they can and stay for as long as they wish. Members are not required to make a full com- mitment to attend every meeting and event. Allison Ramsey, vice president of The Studio, said that in the past the sketch nights felt like a group of friends hang- ing out. However, because of the increase in attendance and the organization’s friendliness to newcomers, the group dy- namic has changed. “While it feels like a large friend group, it’s always changing so it’s not so much of a clique,” Ramsey said. Former president Josiah Parsons said that in the past The Studio was involved with larger art events. Once, a church asked them to paint murals for their Sunday school classrooms. However, within the last few years, attendance at The Studio’s sketch nights dwindled. The organization hosted fewer events, and fewer students knew about The Studio’s existence as an art org on campus. Peterson has high hopes for the community of artists. She began attending The Studio’s sketch nights after she heard about them during her sophomore year. For Peterson, The Studio offers an escape from study- ing for a few hours, motivation to create more in her free time, and a community to meet new people and make new friends. Peterson, a visual communication design major, became president of The Studio when the previous officers began to search for new leadership. Ramsey said she first heard about The Studio through the involvement fair at the beginning of her freshman year. As a regular at sketch nights since her freshman year, Ram- sey decided to take on the role of vice president. She said the organization made her feel much more confident drawing in front of other people. “[The Studio is] a chance to take a break from home- work and work on something that is creative and fun with- out fear of judgment,” Ramsey said. Morghan O’Neil, another frequent attender of the sketch nights, said she heard about the organization even before she was attending Cedarville. A junior graphic de- sign major, O’Neil has brought her art projects to work on during sketch nights. “Art itself can be very isolating,” O’Neil said. “Because you’re doing your own projects, so it’s easy to distance your- self from others.” She said The Studio gives her the opportunity to bring her homework to a place where she can meet other people who have similar interests as her; people who she may not Photo by Lauren Jacobs The Studio hosts a weekly “sketch night” for students interested in practicing art of various types. One student uses a picture on an iPad as reference for her sloth drawing.