On the night of Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. the department of Art + Design held the grand opening for the very first art gallery on NECC’s Lawrence Campus.The new gallery is located in the Louise Haffner Fournier building on Amesbury Street, now where art classes are held for Lawrence NECC artists.
This event was brought together by Michelle Carter, the chair of the art program, and an art professor, as well as Dean Amy Callahan.
This event showcased art from students taking art at NECC, from various classes including Carter’s. Throughout the lobby of the building art from students was presented and encased beautifully.
The viewers of the gallery consisted of faculty, students and proud relatives. Drinks and delicious appetizers were displayed as well as a live piano which was playing delicately George Gershwin’s music.
Many guests were chatting softly amongst each other, visibly thrilled to be there.
Cassandra Kussad had her art featured as the cover of the flier for this event. The art was made in her art class.
Kussad was excited for this event and to be able to show her art to an audience.
Kussad said “what I like about my… art class is that it has no particular guidelines … I find it to be very free when it comes to my assignments,” she said.
Kussad’s relative mentioned how her grandfather was also an artist, stating how creativity is so magical in the way you can make something out of “thin air,” out of for example, a napkin and a pen, as Kussad’s grandfather would do.
Like many artists Kussad finds inspiration in everything when it comes to art. She used art to express herself.
Following a similar theme Ione, a student of Carter’s drawing I class, states that “you cannot teach art or really learn but somebody can guide you, Michelle is excellent at guiding us to places where we can be at our fullest potential.”
Ione is a first year NECC art and design major who does face painting when she is outside of school. She too, like Kussad, hopes to one day be able to pursue art as a career.
“It is terribly exciting to be able to give the opportunity to showcase students’ art here,” said Callahan.
The conversation about how NECC can make art classes an easier commute as opposed to heading to the Haverhill campus for the art students who reside in Lawrence began with a challenge that Carter thought she should help solve, Carter and other faculty members thought of ways they could help.
Dr.Paul Beaudin, vice president of academic affairs and provost brought together a meeting with staff including Callahan who then proposed to make the building attainable for teaching art.
“Everyone was so proactive to solve this challenge,” says Carter. A blank slate was transformed by the maintenance crew who really brought together the perfect space for professors to to teach and for students to learn. Carter wishes to soon fill the area with even more art by the art students at NECC.
