INDEX

STUDIO USE POLICY

The St. Olaf College Department of Art/Art History facilities are available for use only to students currently enrolled in the art class associated with that particular studio/shop, also art apprentices, current art and art history faculty and current art and art history staff members. This is for reasons of safety, liability, and budgeting as well as space limitations. By definition, the facility includes studios, shops, offices, patios, galleries, tools, equipment and supplies. Building hours apply. Individual shops and studios will have specific limitations.

ART LOCKERS

Lockers are available to students enrolled in art courses. Students need to supply their own locks. Students may sign up to use a locker either in class or by signing up on the bulletin board in the Drawing Studio (Dittmann 216). Lockers MUST be signed out. Also, the lockers must be cleaned out at the end of each semester (wiped clean with a wet rag and all contents removed.) If special circumstances warrant keeping a locker until the next term, the Academic Administrative Assistant in the main office needs to be notified.

TO TOP

ATTENDANCE POLICY

The Department of Art and Art History feels that class attendance is crucial and grades will suffer if classes are missed. Consequences for missed classes are up to the individual professors. The Department also strongly supports student attendance at gallery openings and artist talks.

TO TOP

COURSE MATERIAL FEES

Although studio art courses rarely require the purchase of textbooks many require students to pay an art materials fee. This fee covers costs of art materials such as clay, pencils, paper, graphite, sculpture materials, paint, etc.; tickets to museums; transportation costs; printing of large course packets; etc. This fee is charged to the student’s accounts during the second week of class. If a student subsequently drops the course, the professor will determine the amount to be refunded. Students need to notify the Administrative Assistant in the main office (Dittmann 200) if a class has been dropped so that a refund may be given. No refund is given after the registrar's last official date to drop a class.

TO TOP

 

FIFTH YEAR ART APPRENTICE PROGRAM

This program offers 4-6 graduates of St. Olaf a fifth year of independent studio experience in their area of expertise, including studio space, a small stipend for the purchase of supplies and critical feedback from art professionals so as to be better prepared for graduate school or a professional career in the arts.

In the spring, interested seniors may submit a letter of application and resume to the Senior Studies Faculty. The deadline is usually sometime during the first week of May.

TO TOP

FRAMING INFORMATION

Works on paper:

Should generally be either matted or floated. (It is hard on artwork to touch the glass or Plexiglas.)

Matted – 2 & 4 ply white mat board available at St. Olaf. 32x40”. Foamcore and corrugated cardboard at St. Olaf. Oversize mat and foam boards must be special ordered

Floated - purchased spacers or metal frames with built in spacers.

Frames: Can be ordered from many different places. Two that faculty often use are American Frame (both metal and wood) and Metropolitan Frame (wood).
The best way to work with them is on-line. Just Google their names. You will need a credit card to order. Be sure to order early enough to frame for your show.
Metal frames are the less expensive option. They come in many profiles and colors.
The are durable and can be easily reused for artwork of the same size.
Wood frames are more expensive and slightly more complicated to put together than metal. They are beautiful but more fragile than metal frames.
Plexiglas and glass cut to size is available from Almen’s Glass in Dundas. 645-6727
They will deliver to St. Olaf. They also will give you a St. Olaf discount.
Glass is cheaper than plex, but very heavy and exceedingly fragile. Given that you will be moving these pieces around plex is your best bet. **You must clean glass with glass cleaner and plex with plex cleaner and a clean soft rag.
In the tool room there is a framing box that you can sign out during shop keeper’s hours. It includes glass and plex cleaner, wire, strap hangers, a wood frame brad driver and misc. extra metal frame parts. Do not leave this out and let Christie or Mary know if supplies are getting low.

Works on masonite:

Buy the stretcher material from the supply room. (You will only need the large flat piece, not the moulding.) Be sure to put strap hangers and wire on the back.

Works on canvas:

You can buy “lath" at the lumber yard. Paint it after cutting but before framing. Butt joints generally work better than mitered corners. It looks better if you paint around the edges before framing – either just dark or let the image go around the sides. Be sure to put strap hangers and wire on the back.

GENERAL SAFETY

Safe Practices

Approval of chemicals, products, processes:

No chemicals, products, or processes may be brought into the Dittmann Center by faculty, staff, or students aside from those on the approved list for use in a specific studio.

  • The spaces within Dittmann were designed for safe use of specific processes and chemicals, and are limited to those functions.
  • Faculty and staff wishing to introduce new processes or chemicals into the system must review all information with the technical supervisor and the chemical hygiene officer, and prove compatibility with our system. Information on the substance?s hazardous characteristics as well as the proper handling, storage, and disposal procedures must be known to those who will order, receive, and/or work with the substance.


Food/beverages are not allowed in studio/shop areas. Ingestion of toxic chemicals is best avoided if eating and drinking is kept out of studio areas, and by way of frequent hand washing.

Hand washing should be done carefully and often.

  • DO NOT use Gamsol or any solvent to clean skin.
  • Use mineral oil followed by soap and water.
  • Use a nail brush to remove trace chemicals from under fingernails.
  • Boraxo is available at most studio sinks for heavy-duty hand cleaning needs -- it is environmentally friendly (and skin friendly) and is the official hand cleaner of the St. Olaf Art Department.

Awareness is the most fundamental safety principle.

  • Never underestimate the hazards involved in artmaking processes. Be knowledgable about the materials and equipment with which you are working. Be alert to unsafe conditions and ensure that they are corrected as soon as they are detected.
  • Plan ahead. Always know the location of safety equipment in your area, and the emergency safety procedures and contact numbers for your area.
  • Assume that substances of unknown toxicity are hazardous, and that a mixture of chemicals will be more toxic than its most toxic component.

Clear Passageways

* Eyewash/Showers: Areas around eyewash and safety showers must be clear at all times, as must the passageway leading to the device.

* Electrical Panels: Floor and airspace in front of electrical panels need to be clear of obstructions. The clear space must be 36? out from the front of the panel AND 30? or the width of the panel, whichever is greater.

* Exits, Hallways, and Walkways: All exits from any room, also hallways and also walkways within rooms must be kept clear of obstacles and dry at all times.

  • Clear isles must be maintained in studios at all times. These isles should be free of clutter and spills, allowing people to easily get to the exit at any time.
  • Exit doorways may not be blocked.
  • Fire doors and doors to spaces using ventilation may not be propped open.
  • The enclosed (North) stairwell may contain no flammable materials. The open (South) stairwells act as temporary, short-term storage for the art department. Stairwell spaces are managed by the Technical Supervisor.

* Loading Dock: All passageways on the dock must be clear at all times. All items left on the dock in spaces other than the passageways must be removed promptly. The functions of the dock space, other than delivery, belong to the sculpture department: dust collection, oxy/acet manifold tank system, flammable storage, and covered misc. storage. The dock space is managed by the Technical Supervisor. NO SMOKING IS ALLOWED ON OR NEAR THE DOCK.

Housekeeping

Housekeeping is an environmental, health, and safety issue as well as an issue of respect and etiquette. A clean studio is not only safe, cost-effective, healthy, and better for the environment, it is also more productive.

  • Handle, store and dispose of materials properly. (see specific studio areas and Chemical Safety section for details). If you are unsure of the hazardous nature of what you are handling, ask a tech or prof. If you are unsure what materials may be thrown in the trash and what must be disposed of as toxic waste, ask a tech or prof.
  • Clean up spills and dust. If your spill is toxic waste, absorb and contain the spill in a baggie, then give to the technical supervisor. When cleaning up dust, wipe up with a damp sponge or rag to keep dust levels down.
  • Keep work areas organized; store your artwork and supplies in the assigned space. Walkways within studios should be clear and wide enough to pass safely throughout the room.
  • Use ventilation and dust collection systems properly.
  • Replace borrowed tools to the assigned location in a timely manner.

TO TOP

KEY CHECK-OUT

Occasionally, students will need to check out a key for one of the doors in Dittmann. Keys are checked out in the main office. A $10 deposit is required, which will be given back to the student upon return of the key.

TO TOP

MODELS

Students are given the opportunity to draw from live models in the advanced drawing classes. Please respect privacy issues when models are in session. Learn more about modeling for the art / art history department.

TO TOP

ON-CAMPUS EXHIBITION SPACES

There are many venues on campus where student art is exhibited. You may discuss the use of one of these spaces with Wendell Arneson. Remember, there are always risks displaying work in unsupervised spaces. The college is not responsible for work lost through damage or theft. Possible spaces include:

  • The Halvorson Music Library Gallery
  • Kelsey Theater Galler
  • Buntrock Hallway (next to Buntrock Office
  • Buntrock Hallway (lower level)
  • Student Gallery in Dittmann Center

TO TOP

PORTFOLIO REVIEWS FOR INCOMING FIRST YEAR STUDENTS

First year students who have a strong interest in art are given the opportunity to participate in a portfolio review process on the Monday after they arrive on campus (Labor Day). This is an entirely friendly process, no pressure or competition. The goal is simply to meet the students and get a sense of what their experience in art has been and give guidance for course selection during the first year. After the review, studio art faculty will recommend courses for students to get started in, courses that will provide the best possible beginning to a St. Olaf art experience whether contemplating being a major or not.

Portfolios should include original works, 2-D and 3-D, slides or photos of original works (especially 3-D) or a combination of the two. Students need not bring everything they have ever made – 10-12 examples of the strongest work is usually sufficient, plus sketchbooks, notebooks, etc. If it all fits nicely in a portfolio case or slide sheet, more than 10-12 examples are permitted. Students usually bring work completed in high school or from other art programs they participated in during their high school years.

TO TOP

SECURITY CODES FOR COMPUTER LABS AND OTHER SPACES

Security codes for various rooms in Dittmann may be obtained from the Administrative Assistant in the main office. These codes are not to be shared with anyone. The system is able to track who enters the rooms, when. For your own security, do not share your code. The following rooms require the use of these codes:

  • Digital Studio (DC 100)
  • Design Studio (DC 116)
  • Tool Room (DC 105)
  • Supply Room (DC 108)
  • Penthouse Student Studio (DC 316)
  • Patio Student Studio (DC 103)

TO TOP

STORAGE

Storage of student art and supplies in Dittmann Center is carefully regulated for reasons of safety, fire code, and housekeeping. Other than lockers, no hallway or stairwell storage is allowed. In most studio classes, a cubby or shelf will be assigned for use during the semester in which the student is participating in the class. Students are required to remove their supplies and artwork from the studio once the semester is over. The Department of Art/Art History is not responsible for belongings left behind by students.

TO TOP

 

STUDENT WORK

The Department utilizes reliable and safe student workers to fulfill many important functions. Students must qualify for the St. Olaf student-work program through the financial aid office. Applications for jobs may be picked up in the main office (Dittmann 200).

Student work opportunities in Art/Art History include:

  • Shopkeeper (must have experience with woodworking tools)
  • Photo-lab Assistant (must have b&w darkroom experience)
  • Digital Lab Assistant (must have extensive computer experience (mac))
  • Digital Lab Checkout (must have extensive computer experience (mac))
  • Ceramic Assistant (must have ceramic experience)
  • Office Assistant (must have computer experience)
  • Slide/Image Scanner (must have Adobe Photoshop experience)
  • Printmaking Assistant (must have printmaking experience)
  • Supply Room Cashier
  • Visual Resource Room Assistant (must have interest in art history)
  • Models for drawing classes
  • Others as needed

TO TOP

ART SUPPLY ROOM

The art supply room sells class-related supplies to current art students. It is not a profit-generating venture, and is not open to the general public. Art supply hours change with each semester, and there are no shifts during breaks. The art supply room is located on the lower level of Dittmann, room 108.

TO TOP

TIMESHEETS

Timesheets for student workers are stored in the main office in a three-ring binder. Student workers need to sign their sheet, total up the hours, and get supervisor’s signature. For deadlines and pay dates, check the student work website.

TO TOP