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| Emphemeral art by Damon Thomas from the last student exhibition |
I
remember the day as if it were yesterday. After much soul searching following
an art-filled trip to Italy, I went to check out the Glassell School of Art. It
was on a weekend so there wasn't much action there as I looked around at the
art on the walls and imagined the goings on in the various classrooms. I asked
a cute young guy with paint on his shirt for directions, and as he walked
away I thought, "wow, I just talked to a real artist!" I hadn't been
in an art classroom for more than 20 years. Still, the sights, smells, and the
incredible joy I felt, were all very familiar.
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| A colorful mural by Daniel Anguilu |
Almost
a decade later, the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston
is planning a big redo. The current building will be demolished and replaced
with a new state-of-the-art (literally) facility with much more space for
classrooms, studios, galleries, and offices. I have mixed feelings about this
of course. I love the old "glass block" building for all of the
memories it holds and it's creaky artsyness. However, having taken many classes
there and teaching there, I am well aware of its shortcomings—copious water
leaks, a freaky air conditioning/heating system that made everyone either too
hot or too cold, and general lack of sufficient space for a world-class art
school. As sad as I am to see the old building go, I know the decision to
replace the building wasn’t taken lightly.
So
look for me there on demolition day. I will most likely be crying my eyes out
as I think about how the glass block building changed my life.
