New Creative Space Gallery Brings Art Closer to Ithaca College Campus

By Holly Habeck, March 2, 2017

New Creative Space Gallery Brings Art Closer to Campus

The Ithaca College Art Department celebrated the opening of its new Creative Space Gallery in the South Hill Business Park on Tuesday, Feb. 28. The space will serve as both a creator’s studio and an art gallery.

The space was originally located downtown on The Commons. Bill Hastings, the gallery’s coordinator, believes that moving it to the South Hill Business Park is an organic fit that will provide better access to students.

“We really wanted to still be down on The Commons, but we couldn’t find another space that was gallery-like,” said Hastings. “We thought this would be good though, because it’d be close to school and we’d be able to get students over here easier.”

During the opening, the Art Department displayed a variety of paper sculptures and drawings, all of which were made in the new Creative Space Gallery during class sessions. Hastings says that the new space will serve as more of a studio and less of an art gallery than the previous location.

“Downtown, when we were on The Commons, every first Friday of the month there is gallery night. We got tied up into that. So every single month we were putting on a show,” he said. “We weren’t always ready… For this space, we’re going to do about two big shows a semester once we get rolling.”

Assistant Professor Patti Capaldi recognizes the usefulness of the space for creating art too.

“This has a clean, fresh feeling to it and a more open, spacious feeling,” she said. “It’s inspiring.”

The new gallery also gives students the opportunity to showcase their work in a professional setting.

“This is really unlike anything I think we’ve had before,” said Marilyn Markech, a junior art major. “I love Ceracche [Center] with all my heart, but it’s not the best place for critiques and showing art. This is really a space where we can look at our art from a more professional setting. This is what it would look like if you were being shown at an exhibition.”

Markech also believes that the location will be less intimidating for students studying outside of the Art Department, and it will hopefully encourage more people to get involved.