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Poetter Hall was purchased by the SCAD founders in March 1979. Classes began in September of that year.  
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The Arts

There’s something in the ‘Air’ at Oglethorpe

A photograph by professor Craig Stevens

One of the photographs by professor Craig Stevens on display at Oglethorpe Row Gallery through Feb. 27.

By Hannah Pittard
Published: Friday, February 21, 2003

Now in his 15th year with the Savannah College of Art and Design’s photography department, professor Craig Stevens finds himself as pleased as ever with his position, his art and his students.

“I am a happy artist because I have been able to do what I love for many years and I am more excited now than ever before,” said Stevens, who is in the midst of his second solo show in the past year. “The last one was at Café Metropole of black and white panoramic work,” he said. “This show is my first color show in 30 years.”

A 30-year hiatus hasn’t dulled Steven’s ability to shoot color. If anything, there is the sense that time away has only facilitated his talent. “Air,” on display at Oglethorpe Row Gallery, 406 E. Oglethorpe Ave., reflects Stevens’ work over the past two and a half years and is concerned with the romance and spirit of a place. “The images are made using simple pinhole cameras, high-tech panoramic cameras and a scanner as a camera.”

The photographs, many of which are panoramas but several of which are close-ups, are as powerful individually as they are as a collection. Rather than combine many colors into one print, Stevens has delicately allotted each print its own study in color — one lavender, another green, yet another bright blue, etc. So that, separately, the images concentrate only on the color they are meant to intensify but, together, they collaborate as a unit of various color appreciation techniques. The images that make up “Air” are completely satisfying, and to see the collection is to understand the exhibition’s title.

“Being a teacher/photographer is an interesting dance,” said Stevens, who chose to exhibit his work at Oglethorpe Row Gallery because of the space and the students who run it. “You have to fit your personal work in around everything else that you do. This is one reason I love working digitally. Before I had to set up the darkroom and allot at least three hours to get anything done. With the digital darkroom I can work for a half hour and save what I have done. I am able to work incrementally on the piece … The first thing I teach my students is that if they don’t love making photographs they should do something else.”

Stevens, who originally left color photography when manufacturers replaced fiber-based paper with plastic resin-coated material, said of his return: “With the revolution in digital printing technology, I can now print color on beautiful watercolor papers.“

“Air” is on display at Oglethorpe Row Gallery, 406 E. Oglethorpe Ave., through Feb. 27.