Across the nation, schools at every education level are struggling to return to some level of normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic forced most schools to close down and adopt virtual methods of learning for well over a year.  

Universities, in particular, have had to get creative in finding ways to meet the needs of students while adhering to COVID-19 restrictions.  

At Sonoma State University, Assistant Professor of Painting for the Department of Art and Art History, Clea Felien, is in the process of creating an outdoor studio workspace for students. Located within the University’s Art Building, the outdoor studio will serve as a welcoming space for any and all students looking for a place to create and share their work.

“Now, it seems to me like this would be the smartest thing we could do… to have an outdoor space to work. Under COVID this seems essential to me,” said Felien.

Felien began the process of creating this project in 2019, receiving approval from the Art Department, an $800 grant, and tables donated for the space. However, once the pandemic hit, everything got put on hold.

Now that students are returning back to campus, Felien is determined to bring a previously underutilized space to life, turning an old, covered alcove in the Art Building into a communal studio space.

A document, written by Felien to the School of Arts and Humanities, highlighted the goals and importance of this project, statstating that adjustments to this neglected space “will create an open-air courtyard that students can work in at any point throughout the day. Students will also have access to show more artwork in the space once occupied by lockers. This area provides a perfect critique space, designed to improve the teaching, critiquing, and showing experience for students and faculty. This open area has a lot more to offer the campus than its current use. Your support will help us transform a few walls and lockers into an open-air Art Courtyard providing needed work and collaboration space to improve the student’s art experience.”

The project is set to be part of ARTS-395, a community involvement class, taught and created by Felien. The one-unit course teaches students about artists who have taken abandoned spaces and turned them into functional shared spaces. The course focuses on sustainability and the reusing of materials to re-imagine misspent spaces around campus.

In 2019, this class successfully revitalized an old courtyard, tucked away by the Art Building, turning it into a common area for students.

A document written in 2018, the early stages of this courtyard project, reads, “The Art Department is a great distance from the student center and student lounge areas. Due to health and safety regulations, students are not allowed to eat or socialize in empty classrooms and studios…Our students need a welcoming area to relax, eat and hang out so they can talk about art, look at art, and make art.”

By the end of the 2019 Spring semester, a group of around 15 students had completely transformed the area, creating furniture and murals from recycled or donated materials, and installing raised planting beds where students could grow their own foods.    

“It’s my proud moment,” said Felien in response to all the time and hard work these students put into repurposing the space.

Felien is hopeful that she will be able to begin this new outdoor studio project no later than Fall 2022 as there has never been a higher demand for outdoor workspace.