School of Art and Design to open hand-blown glass art studio in Farmville | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: The author of this post, Crystal Baity and Jay Clark, is a contributor to ECU News Services.

    East Carolina University's School of Art and Design plans to open a hand-blown glass art studio in downtown Farmville.

    Hand-blown glass is a new curriculum area for ECU and the first of its kind in the UNC system. Students will travel from main campus in Greenville for classes, which are expected to begin this fall, said Dr. Chris Buddo, dean of the ECU College of Fine Arts and Communication.

    Because of the type of equipment and space needed, no more than six to eight students will be able to participate at a time. "We expect that demand will outpace our ability to meet it," Buddo said. "We expect this will become a growth area for us."

This renovated former gas station in Farmville will be leased by ECU for a hand-blown glass art studio. The project is a result of a grassroots effort by The Farmville Group, a volunteer economic development association interested in growing the local economy through the arts. (Photos by Jay Clark)
    Hand-blown glass eventually could become a new concentration in the art school. Initial interest is expected to come from ceramics and sculpture students, Buddo said.

    The project is a result of a grassroots effort by The Farmville Group, a volunteer economic development association interested in growing the local economy through the arts. The Allen and Stowe families donated the building to the DeVisconti Trust, which is leasing it to ECU.

    "We want to be a catalyst for others to be stakeholders downtown," said Bynum Satterwhite, representative for the DeVisconti Trust. "The trust believes in a vibrant and growing Farmville and we feel like this is going a long way towards fulfilling that mission."

    Community leaders first contacted ECU in 2014 to talk about opening a studio or art gallery space as a way "to use art to breathe economic life into downtown," Buddo said.

    In response, ECU proposed a glass art facility that would not only serve as a classroom for students, but would become a destination for anyone interested in learning about glass blowing. The studio will feature public viewing areas and will offer workshops to the general public, including underserved populations who may never have been exposed to this type of art.

    "Our hope is to make Farmville a go-to creative center in eastern North Carolina," Buddo said. "We are thankful to Farmville for building a vision around art."

    The School of Art and Design will be recruiting two artists to serve as adjunct faculty members and purchasing equipment needed for glass production. ECU also will be partnering with Pitt Community College and Pitt County Schools to make the facility available for instruction and other learning opportunities.

This photo was taken before the former gas station in downtown Farmville was renovated to house ECU’s hand-blown glass art studio. (Contributed photo)
    Todd Edwards, a member of The Farmville Group, wanted to create an incubator for young artists that would help retain talent in the area and have local economic impact. His construction company is contractor for the trust on the project.

    "We want school kids to be inspired and to come here and be engaged," said Edwards. "This is a template and road map for all small towns. This will go beyond just this facility,"

    After researching a hand-blown glass facility in another town, Edwards said, "Glass blowing is theater. It's amazing to watch. It will be a community asset."

    ECU will pay approximately $14,000 a year, plus utilities, to lease the building that officials are calling the "glass station" as a nod to the building's former life as a gas station on West Wilson Street. Built in 1946, the building will provide about 2,400 square feet of studio space.

    ECU has the largest studio art program in North Carolina, which is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

    Curriculum areas include animation, art foundations, ceramics, cinema, drawing, graphic design, illustration, interactive media, metals, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, textile design and video.

    For more information, visit www.ecu.edu/soad.com