The Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center — or IMRC — is now home to the Wyeth Family Studio Art Center, which was dedicated to the Wyeth family on Sunday.
The renovation of Stuart Commons into the IMRC is a multi-phase plan to improve and expand the facilities for the University of Maine departments of art and new media. The IMRC building has 43,600 square feet of space.
At the dedication of the IMRC building was Jamie Wyeth, grandson of the famous N.C. Wyeth and son of Andrew Wyeth. Jamie is the third generation of artists in the Wyeth family.
“Excellent, it is just excellent!” Wyeth said. “My only issue is that it is too clean; when you walk into my studio, it looks like a bomb went off. I am sure it will change.”
Throughout the day tours of the building were given, showing how this building is a milestone for the departments of art and new media.
Wyeth was one of the guests of honor who spoke at the ceremony about growing up in Maine and about how important Maine is in his life. Wyeth said in his speech, “All those terrible lunches and all the fundraising and what not, all that will be worth it if just one student — whether it is a boy or a girl, man or a woman — walks into that studio space as I did over 40 years ago in my grandfathers studio and catches fire. It will all be worth everything just for that one individual.”
University of Maine President Paul Ferguson spoke at the ceremony, saying, “If a student graduates from the University of Maine we are hoping that with this particular center, and the work of [the] faculty who have continued to be enhanced, that not only do we want to educate our students for their future.
“We also want them to leave with a sense of passion and creativity. I think this center today, the passion and commitment of our faculty, and our community members will really go far in committing that sense of pride and sense of creativity that will be transforming in this world.”
David Michaelis, the author of two national bestsellers, including “N.C. Wyeth: A Biography,” spoke on “Father. Mother. Front Porch. Easel, the Wyeth House of Masters” and a close family friend also offered remarks during the ceremony honoring the Wyeth family.
The university is home to more than 130 art majors, 80 art minors and 300 non-majors throughout the school year. The design of this building was heavily influenced by the Art and New Media departments.
Susan Groce, a professor of art at the university, stated that this facility is also safer for art students when they are using chemicals: “These blue vents are movable to allow ventilation over any table in the room.”
According to Michael Grillo, associate professor of art history and chair of the University of Maine Art Department, “The walls in the classrooms allow us to hang students’ artwork so students can constantly see their work and move forward from that.”
Students were on hand all day to answer questions and show off their work in the IMRC building.
“The atmosphere in Carnegie hall was intimidating but this is far more welcoming” Patrick Meunier, a second-year studio art and art education double major from Vassalboro, Maine. “I am drawing a controller for my PlayStation 2, and then I am going to wrap it in some sort of paper material and draw it again and see how the light affects the picture.”
The classrooms can hold 45 students and between 10 and 15 independent students, according to Groce.
This new facility was made possible by a $3.69 million Maine Technical Asset Fund competitive bond award from the Maine Technology Institute. Other funding came from state bonds, donations and institutional university funds.
In Wyeth’s final comments he said, “The University of Maine certainly is now a beacon for the arts and universities and colleges and, really, I think the facility is extraordinary.”