New Digital Arts Lab opens in McWethy Hall

The brand new Digital Arts Lab is open on the 4th floor of McWethy Hall. 

It houses 15 Mac Studio units that will be used to teach art students animation, video and sound editing, and other forms of digital art. It also houses a laser cutter and, in the near future, a large format printer and 3D printers.

“This project has been in motion for a number of years, and it is exciting to see it finally come to fruition,” said Assistant Professor of Art Alex McKenzie. “It will give art students access to technology and equipment to help them realize digital projects in and outside of class.”

McKenzie’s Block 4 class, Digital Practices, is the first to use the newly renovated space. Students are learning Adobe programs such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro. This course provides a foundation for future digital art courses including Animation and Advanced Digital Art, both of which will be taught in the Digital Arts Lab.

“I’m excited that our students, especially those in their senior year, will have a space to support projects that require computers with advanced processing power,” McKenzie said. 

Smriti Neupane is in McKenzie’s Block 4 course. She said after only three days in the class, they were creating logos and designing posters.

“The Digital Arts Center is fun and intriguing,” Neupane said. “The white brick walls, the wooden ceiling, natural light, view of King Chapel from the window, and the workspace as a whole create a vibe. The computers and tablets are quite powerful and amazing. I love big screens!” 

The space is supported through generous donations made by Henry Winokur ’74, Kristine Diekman ’79, and Ralph “Chris” Christoffersen ’59 and Barbara Christoffersen.

McKenzie says the new space will greatly benefit students and their future careers. Over time the Digital Arts Lab will also act as a media pool where students can check out cameras, projectors, and other tech to use in various projects.

“You don’t learn how to use technology unless your school invests in it,” McKenzie said. “Students need to be able to check out and utilize equipment in a self-guided environment. Many of these items are too cost-prohibitive for students to afford on their own. Mere exposure is an incredibly powerful tool.”

All art majors can use the space and equipment in the lab while the building is open. However, if there’s a class using the lab that block, the computers are reserved for those students. Signage will soon be posted to show when the space is available for use.