Art Professors Reuse and Recycle Supplies

In the atrium of the Johnson Memorial Building, sculptures featuring welded steel rods, paper, fabric, wood and many other materials have taken their final place in a new exhibit.

This exhibit, “Line in Space: Just a Corner of Your Memory Palace,” features work from the studio art class Sculpture I, and it officially opened to the public on Wednesday.

While passersby will appreciate the uniqueness and visual appeal of the exhibit, they might not look at each piece in terms of its component parts.

Artists, however, do think in these terms, and an important question today, in light of climate change and pollution in general, is the impact that certain art materials might have on the environment.

Professor of Studio Art Jim Butler notes that art has largely phased out harmful chemicals over time.

“When I was a student, turpentine was used as a solvent,” he said.

“Today we use mineral spirits instead, which are much better for the environment.”

Butler also mentioned that in printmaking, “water-based ink has replaced oil-based ink” and that toluene, a solvent used to dissolve paints, “is not used in the field anymore.”

“ Also,” said Butler, “at the College we reuse work rags they are collected and washed by the school. You don’t use old ragged T-shirts and then throw them out like in the past.”

Echoing Butler’s sentiment, Visiting Assistant Professor of Studio Art Sanford Mirling, who is teaching Sculpture I this fall, added that the safer solvents are also disposed of in accordance with the College’s policy on handling hazardous materials.

“We make sure those materials are taken care of properly,” he said.

As is the case with many college art programs, a culture of reusing and recycling pervades the studio art program here.

“First of all,” said Associate Professor of Art Hedya Klein, “if it still has life to it, we store items for later art making. Recycling services picks up wood shavings, paint, paper and metal. We sort these out for them, and I know they have different piles for everything.”

Mirling makes a point to get the most use out of materials, citing the current “Line in Space” exhibit as an example.

“Evio’s piece incorporates a  blue curtain, which we’ll use again,” Mirling said, pointing out the installation by Evio Isaac ’13, which consists of a large blue curtain hung by wire and resembles a leaning tepee from one angle.

“The Plexiglass in his piece has been reused three times,” he said.

In fact, one goal of Isaac’s instilation was to only purchase materials that could all be used more than once.

Katie Rominger ’14, also a student in Sculpture I, reused materials for her instillation, a towering curtain that incorporates steel, cloth and surgical masks, amongst other items.

“They [the art department] provide us with a lot of reused fabric,” she said. “I feel like there is a decent amount of reused material.”

Although he agrees that people in the studio art department reuse material, Misha Gershcel ’13 feels that some waste is inevitable.“Some things you just end up throwing out,” he said. “Although spray paint can’t be great for the environment, it’s convenient and sometimes I use it on projects.”

Gerschel also added that in comparison to the bigger picture, “the carbon footprint that art leaves is a drop in the bucket. Art also has intrinsic value; you can ‘upcyle’ by reusing old materials to make something new and better,” he added.

Professor of Studio Art Jim Butler emphasizes the department’s awareness of the issue and their efforts to minimize the impact of art waste on campus.

“Talking to my colleagues — it’s a big concern. You know, this country has so many materials you don’t have to buy new ones.”