Today’s colleges and universities offer amazing non-traditional programs and degree paths. Gone are the days where incoming students were limited to a bland handful of humanities or sciences. At The Evergreen State College, they’ve long taken an interdisciplinary approach. Students combine programs, with the guidance of faculty and staff, for a unique educational journey.
For some, that journey includes spending time in the school’s hands-on art studios and design spaces. Whether fine metals, print making, ceramics or woodshop, these undergraduate programs are unique and special in such a setting.
Taking Studio Arts to New Heights at The Evergreen State College
Pamela Davis is an instructional technician and adjunct faculty in The Evergreen State College fine metals program. “One of Evergreen’s greatest assets is the studio art spaces,” she says. “We have amazing fine metals, ceramics, printmaking and woodworking stations. At a time when a lot of colleges are closing these types of spaces, it’s important for people to know we still have them.”
Davis came to Evergreen as a student finishing her degree in 2013. She says she chose the school because it had a fine metals studio. “I had already taken a metalsmithing class and had started a jewelry business that I wished to expand by adding to my skillset,” she continues. “A while after graduating, the college hired me as the studio technician. Several years later, the school hired me as an adjunct faculty in fine metals.”
With her degree focused on both metalwork and ceramics, Davis has taught classes in both disciplines as well as fiber arts both for The Evergreen State College and Arbutus Folk School in downtown Olympia. She also designs, creates and sells her own line of jewelry.
Bringing Timeless Skill into the 21st Century at Evergreen’s Fine Metals Studio
Classes and programs in the Evergreen State College’s fine metals studio are part of the school’s Visual and Media Arts path, says Davis. In this way, students learn both history and theories of their chosen path as well as how to use their inspiration to gain a better understanding of culture and politics while working closely with the community.
Blending learning with community echoes Evergreen’s passion for interdisciplinary studies. Davis explains that arts faculty often co-teach with science, humanities and history staff to offer students a deeper exploration of the materials and techniques used in their studies.
The studio itself is an interdisciplinary hub. It’s housed in Lab 2 alongside science labs so students gain insight from physics, chemistry and biology faculty, says Davis. “I personally love running into science staff when I have questions about the material science of the metals we use,” she adds. “Having a good sense of the science behind the processes is helpful for the students’ understanding of the subject.”
Technology, Tools, Teaching and Training Available for Students of The Evergreen State College’s Studio Arts Program
Humans have been working with wood, clay and metal for millennia. But today’s artists and crafters aren’t relegated to merely handcrafting, they’re using cutting edge machines and technologies.
The Evergreen State College’s Fine Metals studio offers soldering stations, an electric rolling mill, buffing wheel, sand blaster, centrifugal and vacuum casting equipment, vulcanizers, enamel kilns, powder coating station, bench shears, smithing anvils, hydraulic press, lapidary wheels, slab saw, drill press and a micro welder.
Each workbench has various hand tools and a flex shaft and Davis is currently working on setting up electroforming and etching stations.
Evergreen has studio availability for their visual arts students that varies by discipline. There are 2-D and 3-D studios as well as space for wood shop, both large and fine metals, ceramics, printmaking, letterpress, drawing and critique spaces. The Evergreen Gallery welcomes exhibits from both regional and touring artists.
Interested students can apply for entry into the Visual Art and Visual Studies programs or request more information. Questions for the Visual Arts faculty can be submitted online or by calling 360.867.6000.
When describing her jewelry, Davis says that the work of metalsmiths like herself is more than just adornment or decoration. “They can be proclamations, personal affirmations, symbols of belonging (or not), even political statements,” she says. “A person chooses a piece of jewelry because it means something to them, even if they can’t identify exactly why it resonates.”
And that’s the magic sought by artists, artisans, makers, creatives and Evergreen Visual Arts students. If you know a student with that spark, have them check out the studio and learning spaces today so they can continue their work for generations to come.
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