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New space works well for working
studio
Last November, the Working Class Studio, under the supervision of its director Cory Mahler, unveiled itself and its mission: “Working Class Studio is an experimental studio based in the language of cloth and textiles, which allows cross-disciplinary dialogue in a studio setting,” said Mahler, who left her position as a fibers professor to accept the responsibility of working class director full time. “The studio was developed to help foster entrepreneurial and collaborative efforts among young artists and designers.” Originally housed in Alexander Hall in a 160-square-foot room, the Working Class Studio has moved to its new and — at approximately 3,400 square feet — larger home under the bridge between Turner and Dyson houses at 235 W. Boundary St. “ You can’t miss us, we are literally under the arch of the bridge,” said Mahler. “The space is phenomenal … It’s a completely vertical studio, meaning we follow the entire process of product design — from concept to fabrication. The main presence of the studio is the print studio, since our emphasis is surface/pattern exploration through screen printing.” The new studio features a print studio with two 30-foot print tables for both textiles and wallpaper, a design studio, a retail space, an ink/color mixing studio, a screen-development and film-development studio and a sewing/construction studio. Mahler pointed out that everything in the studio is on castors in order to encourage “real energy and mobility at all times.” “ It’s incredible; there is absolutely nothing like this at any educational studio,” said Mahler of the studio’s new home. “We are setting a new precedent at the design school level — a model that we hope will spread like wildfire.” According to Mahler, the move from Alexander to a larger space was always part of the plan. “The Alexander space was merely a foot in the door to let the campus know we existed,” she said. “The visual concept of the current space was designed so that you experience the process of making in its entirety so that you could enter the space, see the conceptual work in the design studio, watch people printing and see the fabricated product all at once. You understand the artist/designer as an integral part of the entire process, not just one aspect of it.” From a pool of 12 applicants, Mahler accepted two interns this quarter: metals and jewelry senior Janci Smith and fibers senior Erika Bausman. “It was a difficult choice,” she said. “When I interview interns, I not only look at the candidate and their ambitions in studio/conceptual venture, but how their goals meet with the goals of the studio. I try to accept interns who I think will challenge each other as well. Since we are not a class and have quarters that focus on different projects, it’s important we are all a good fit.” Mahler said the “big excitement” at the studio now is over a four-day seminar titled “Net-Work,” the first “event” scheduled for the new space. “Over four days, fibers students and alumni will have the opportunity to interface with each other to discuss issues in contemporary textile practice as it relates to entrepreneurialism, design, studio ventures and portfolio practice,” said Mahler. In weeks to come, the studio also will be producing its first student product as well as putting out a call for entries for the second annual “Breaking Patterns” competition, which deals with the topic of “remnants” and what that means conceptually, physically and metaphorically. “ One of the great strengths of the studio [is that] we get to bring light to the realism that living in the creative energy of the moment is important, but so is perpetuating your tomorrows,” said Mahler. |
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