LSU’s College of Art and Design hosted Grad Walk, an open-studio event that aims to highlight the current projects of LSU Master of Fine Arts students.
This long-standing tradition is free and open to all, aiming to give the general public a glimpse into the artists’ studio spaces and creative processes. A variety of disciplines, from painting and drawing to photography and ceramics, were featured in the event.  
The event begins as a scheduled walk through the gallery spaces, then transitions into a space for refreshments, socializing and exploring the different areas of art studied at LSU. The festivities took place near the School of Art’s sculpture quad, where paper lanterns created by first-year undergraduate students illuminated the trees. This design feature has been pivotal to increasing accessibility to the arts on campus.
Serena Viola Corson is a second-year painting graduate student who served on the Grad Walk Committee this year.
“Each area of study elects a graduate student to make this event happen every year,” Corson said. “A lot of work goes on behind the scenes. It’s been very fulfilling to be able to interact with people and show them the day-to-day lives of students artists here at LSU.”
Corson hopes that events such as this promote more open dialogues about the variety of paths that attending LSU can take you on.
“I want people to converse with artists more; specifically, students in other majors,” she explained. “I think it’s important for people from a variety of disciplines to come together and exchange ideas.”
Rod Parker, dean of the College of Art and Design, said this event marks a turning point for the department.
“This night specifically is important for the School of Art, because we’ve undergone many renovations and location changes in recent years,” Parker said.
The new Barnes Ogden Art & Design Complex was unveiled in 2023 and is housed in one of the oldest buildings on campus. The renovation project, designed by Louisiana-based Holly & Smith Architects, aimed to preserve the space’s historical significance while converting it into a multi-disciplinary facility for students to create and showcase their work.
The process was a rewarding but lengthy one, with many compartments such as air conditioning and interior functionality getting complete overhauls
This year’s Grad Walk drew in a diverse crowd, featuring everyone from the elderly to children attending the event with their parents. This also presents itself in the college’s student body, with the young artists of all ethnicities and nationalities coming to LSU to pursue advanced degrees in artistic disciplines.
“It’s been a struggle to get here, and a lot of people have contributed to that struggle,” Parker said. “We are happy to be a diverse, open creative space for people who want to fulfill a part of their journeys here.”

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