The Middle Division (MD) Art Studio opened in Pforzheimer Hall at the start of this school year. Overlooking the atrium, the MD playdeck, and Van Cortlandt Park, the room is filled with painting supplies, markers, and easels that students can use for visual art.

Over the past summer, the College Counseling department, which had been temporarily housed at Pforzheimer Hall, moved to a new location in the Lower Division. 

Hetherington was the main advocate for the MD art space, Dean of Faculty Eva Abbamonte said.

“For a very long time, we have wanted a studio in the MD building where only MD classes would be taking place,” Hetherington said. “This was even before I became chair — Mr. Do, when he was chair, certainly talked about needing a space.”

Art teacher Ron Logan strongly supported the project. “It’s very important for the middle school to have a dedicated art studio in its building,” he said. “Logistically, it makes sense. But also, I think it makes all of the students feel more connected to daily life in middle school, which is good.”

While MD arts classes take place within the new art studio, any MD students can drop in and use it, Logan said. He tries to make the space accessible by keeping the studio open all day long. “Students can just come in for as long as they want to on [their] own time.”

Sixth Grade Dean John McNally has noticed that students have been taking advantage of the studio during their lunch breaks, he said. “I’ve noticed that many students go into the studio during their D or E lunch periods and it seems like such a calm, therapeutic space where students are able to relax and not have to deal with stresses from their school day,” he said.

Thomas Bouchut (6), one of Logan’s visual arts students, enjoys using the classroom, he said. “The space makes me feel at home and it’s a great place to work.” he said

Similar to Bouchut, Jasper Ho (7) enjoys the new studio’s location in Pforzheimer because it is easy to access and hopes to see more MD-specific spaces for art, he said.

The new studio is more inviting to MD students because of its location, Ishan Parfitt (7) said.

Tolga Ergin (7) visited the studio during a free period to spend time with friends, create art, and relax. He enjoys this studio more than the other spaces in Fisher, he said.

The studio is in a convenient location in the MD since it is close to the cafeteria and the main MD building, Skyler Mitchell (7) said.

There are still many elements of the room Logan would like to improve, he said. “I do have cabinets coming, we were just literally hooking up the sink, and I’m going to be getting easels. A lot of the materials that we ordered last year for this space are late because of the worldwide production slowdown.”

Logan looks forward to finishing the room and hopes that the art studio will be a long-lasting part of the MD, he said. “Like all of the spaces here, hopefully it’ll be here for many years,” he said. “Future art teachers may change it up, but at least the basic studio furniture will be there.”