By Daniel Wilson

November 13, 2024

Sacramento State’s new Art Studio Lab is officially open and will begin welcoming students for classes for the Spring 2025 semester.

A ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, welcomed members of the campus community and public to celebrate the milestone as Art department students and faculty prepare to move in.

“This creative space has been designed with purpose,” said Christina Bellon, interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters, during the ceremony. “Each square foot, from the studios to the communal workspaces to the indoor and outdoor installation areas, is thoughtfully planned to give students and faculty access to the resources they need to grow as artists and as professionals.”

The 20,377-square-foot, $18.5 million building, between the old Art Sculpture Lab (ASL) and the ASI Children’s Center, meets LEED Silver Standards and features large windows, a lobby gallery, a 3D technology lab, drawing and painting labs, a metal shop, graduate studios, an outdoor sculpture yard and more significant amenities.

During the ceremony, Art department Chair Rachel Clarke thanked many of the people associated with the project.

“The new ASL affirms the Sacramento State Art department's reputation as the preeminent institution to study art in Northern California,” Clarke said. “The high level of instruction, along with the excellent new facilities, will give students all the tools they need to succeed … fulfilling the Art department's mission to educate the next generation of artists, educators and scholars.”

The ASL replaces its predecessor, the old Art Sculpture Lab, which served as a California Department of Fish and Wildlife warehouse from 1951 until 1971, when Sac State acquired it and utilized it as an art education and creation space.

Sac State broke ground on the new ASL, which was designed by HGA and built by Otto Construction, on June 30, 2023. The University continues to offer potential donors opportunities to support the project, including naming the building and its rooms. Clarke said ongoing fundraising efforts, such as selling engraved bricks that are installed in key locations outside the building, have been successful.

“We are still looking for a building and studio naming donors because we would like to have a substantial endowment that we can use to support new initiatives, like the ASL sculpture garden and our 3D technology space,” Clarke said. “It will mean that we can continue to invest in and sustain the technology, machinery and equipment we use in our programs.”

The department originally planned to move students into the building this semester, but construction delays altered those plans. Over winter break, the department will move in more equipment and furniture, including $300,000 worth of items funded by the University, as they prepare for students to use the new space full-time in the spring.

“We are on target to start teaching there at the beginning of next semester,” Clarke said. “In the spring, there will be drawing and painting classes, sculpture classes, and all the shops - wood, metal, wood construction, wax and plaster - will be in full use. The kilns will be working, and the grads will be in their studios.”

The old Art Sculpture Lab will be used by the department for the foreseeable future. The Art department produced a book commemorating the old structure that will be made available to donors of $250 or more, in addition to an engraved brick. The book will also be available at a donation level of $75.

“This facility stands as a testament to what we can achieve together, and it will serve as a beacon of creativity and innovation for generations of Sacramento State students for years to come.” -- Sac State President Luke Wood

The book was a collaboration with Photography Professor Eliza Gregory and her students. It includes photos from the last time the old ASL was fully operational along with photos submitted by alumni and emeritus faculty, as well as interviews with former students and faculty.

Sac State President Luke Wood suggested the new structure will have significant long-term impact.

“This facility stands as a testament to what we can achieve together, and it will serve as a beacon of creativity and innovation for generations of Sacramento State students for years to come,” he said. “We are here to celebrate our ongoing commitment to providing innovative, hands-on learning experiences for our students and providing the space for our faculty that they need to guide our students as we they grow the next generation of artists.”

Master of Fine Arts graduate student Sokthea Chan, who also earned a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from Sac State in 2014, talked about the importance of collaborative art spaces.

“I hope for the future of the new ASL there will be opportunities for artists in all fields to be able to connect with each other, have a collaborative space and also share innovative ideas with one another, regardless of where we are in our academic journey,” Chan said.

Amari C. Moore, a bachelor of Fine Arts student studying Studio Art, expressed gratitude for all the opportunities afforded by the Art department and compared the old and new spaces.

“(The old ASL) has been a place of learning, refining our gifts and talents while building this strong sense of community and friendship,” Moore said. “It is my hope that this new space will continue to do just that on an even bigger level.”

To learn more about the new Art Studio Lab building, visit the Art department’s web page.

Jennifer K. Morita contributed to this report.