The College of Art and Design recently celebrated the grand opening of the renovated Barnes Ogden Art and Design Complex. 

Renovations
The building formerly known as the Studio Arts Building was designed by historic architect Theodore C. Link, and built around 1924. Much to LSU’s dismay, it became the center of a controversy in 2014 as students and faculty spoke up about its conditions. Most classes within the building were relocated due asbestos, mold, lead paint and crumbling infrastructure among other things. Read more about “The School of Decay” here and here.

For several years after that, the School of Art was split among multiple buildings across campus which led to an absence of a sense of community in the college.

Now after undergoing its only major renovation since it was built nearly 100 years ago, the Barnes Ogden Art & Design Complex includes modern facilities for ceramics, sculpture, painting and drawing. Its ventilation, air condition systems and interior finish were also upgraded while preserving its history in compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Structures.

Foundations
All first-year art students are required to take Foundation courses in order to develop and practice core skills. These three courses include Two-Dimensional Design, Three-Dimensional Design and Drawing Composition.

Ceramics
The ceramics curriculum includes wheel-throwing, hand-building, slip-casting, tile-making, raw material study, studio practice, methodology development and special topics classes. Additionally, students have access to numerous kilns (electric, gas and soda), a glaze studio, slab rollers, potters’ wheels and more.

Sculpture
The sculpture curriculum provides students with a broad range of equipment and material approaches. Facilities include a woodworking shop, welding and fabrication areas complete with forging stations and an outstanding foundry facility.

Painting and Drawing
The painting and drawing program offers a wide array of artistic experiences from figure and landscape painting to abstract painting, water media and performance and installation art. Its studios are well equipped with storage racks, props and easels.

The College of Art and Design and all its disciplines are back and better than ever. With its renovated facilities, additions of state of the art technology and a new BA degree in Art & Design program, LSU has a colorful, creative future ahead of it. Students and faculty are eager to continue creating again under the same, nearly hundred-year-old roof for another century.