The Studio Arts building on campus is consistently teeming with sound and inspiration. Whether it’s the clanging of the machinery in the welding workshop or the soft strokes of brush on canvas in the paint lab, creative hustle is the name of the game.
On Thursdays, in the early afternoon, you can catch the campus art club, Studio Rats, scurrying to finish their latest project, discussing the next one, or planning a plethora of events that promote art focus and creativity.
After a few frustrating semesters, the club is once again meeting in-person. With one of the main focuses of the club being hands-on creation, this return to tradition is a significant victory.
“It was a struggle,” Associate Professor of Studio Arts, Stacey Fletcher-Reynolds, said of meeting virtually, “We couldn’t pull together as a group.” Fletcher-Reynolds also serves as the advisor to the club. When asked about the importance of meeting in person she said, “[It] lets us a create a dialogue and community that the students will take with them when they leave Daytona State.”
When student and active member of Studio Rats, Rose Salgado, was asked what the club meant to her, she said, “[It’s] people coming together to do art and be art.” She continued, “[To] confer with each other and create a culture.”
The club’s plans for the future extend beyond the Daytona State campus as well. Newly Appointed President of the club, Lynsey Wright, said she “wants [the club] to have an influence in the Daytona and Volusia [art] communities.”
Wright also mentioned the opportunities for student collaboration the club presents, saying she’s “excited to group aspiring artists together so they can draw inspiration from each other.”
If you’re interested in becoming a Studio Rat, they currently meet on Thursday at 1pm in the Studio Arts Hall (Building 520, room 111E).
You can also join their Discord HERE.
The Studio Rats logo was designed by Rose Salgado and Cindy Jeffers.
Tim Blalock is InMotion’s editor-in-chief.