A temporary solution will bring some CVPA ceramics students back to downtown New Bedford

Kathryn Gallerani, The Standard-Times
·3 min read

NEW BEDFORD — The offer of the use of a kiln at the New Bedford Art Museum will open the door to giving at least some ceramics students from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s College of Visual and Performing Arts the ability to continue some of their studies downtown.

New Bedford Art Museum Executive Director Suzanne de Vegh and the museum’s Board of Directors has offered the use of a kiln in the basement level of the city-owned building located at 608 Pleasant St. that is suitable to support instruction for a limited number of ceramics students at one time.

When de Vegh learned about the CVPA’s move from the Star Store building the day it was announced, she reached out to the university to say that if there was anything the museum could do to help to let her know. Soon after, she was asked about hosting the CVPA’s MFA (Master of Fine Arts) exhibition, and while fully booked, the museum was able to accommodate them.

“I believe it’s important to have the show presented in a proper exhibition and they had anticipated it happening at the Star Store and I didn’t know what options they had but the museum is perfectly suited for that,” she said.

UMass Dartmouth third year MFA ceramics student, Fallon Navarro, packs the pieces she has created at her Star Store campus studio in downtown New Bedford, as students are forced to move out.
UMass Dartmouth third year MFA ceramics student, Fallon Navarro, packs the pieces she has created at her Star Store campus studio in downtown New Bedford, as students are forced to move out.

She was again contacted by the university asking what facilities the museum has available to host the Introduction to Ceramics undergraduate class that meets twice a week in its clay studio facilities, and she very quickly put that together, starting Sept. 11.

Coincidentally, the Museum’s ceramics instructor, a CVPA graduate student is the instructor for the ceramics class so that worked out nicely, de Vegh said.

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Since it’s a city-owned building, she got permission to use the museum space to help out and was happy to hear that the university was pleased they could host the class.

She said the museum is always open to helping the university or any community partner that is in need so if the university has a continued need, the NBAM is willing to help.

Dean is also a museum director

University spokesman Ryan Merrill released a statement about CVPA Dean Lawrence Jenken’s role in making this happen, at least on a temporary basis.

“The University is fortunate that CVPA Dean Lawrence Jenkens serves on the New Bedford Art Museum Board and was able to facilitate this temporary arrangement with the New Bedford Art Museum,” Merrill said. “Currently, one ceramics class will be hosted by the Museum due to the availability of certain equipment.”

Students in the ceramics program were recently relocated to a strip mall storefront in North Dartmouth formerly occupied by the retailer Bed, Bath, & Beyond after the University moved its arts programs out of the Star Store building downtown.

Mayor still seeking longer solution

In a press release, Mayor Jon Mitchell said they are committed to hosting instruction of students enrolled in the CVPA ceramics program in addition to finding a way to keep the CVPA in New Bedford, including scenarios in which the city itself plays a role, including taking ownership of the Star Store building.

He also announced his willingness to have the city takeover ownership if it might help to break the current impasse between the university, state agencies and the building’s owner, provided that local taxpayers were protected.

“In our effort to maintain the CVPA in the city, this is a step in the right direction,” he said. “Much more will need to fall into place for the CVPA to be re-activated here, but we are working hard to make that happen.”

New Bedford had been home to CVPA and the CVPA’s predecessor, the Swain School of Design, for more than 120 years. The CVPA merged with the Swain School in 1988 and moved into the Star Store building in 2001.

Mitchell also said he’s grateful to de Vegh and the New Bedford Art Museum Board of Directors for stepping up.

Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at kgallerani@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @kgallreporter. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Art Museum offers use of ceramics studio to UMass Dartmouth students