Research Log: Art School
The Scottsdale Artists’ School
Location: 3720 N Marshall Way,
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Date: April 14th, 2023, @12-1:30
History
The Scottsdale Artists’ School was founded by a group of Arizona artists and community leaders in1983. Their intention was to creating an inspiring place where any artists no matter the skill level can learn from working artists from all over the country. The Scottsdale Artists League finacially supported this vision and began the organization with one studio and a workshop.
In 1993 The Scottsdale Artists School moved into its current building, one of which is listed on Scottsdale’s Historic Register. Evolving into one of America’s leading independant art institutions, with a large selection of art programs and a youth academy for adults, teens and younger children as well.
The school bases its courses on fundamental art theory and overall practice, as well as innovative genres and methods within art. The school has many incredible instructors with high quality information to share and teach.
Use of the Space:
The Scottsdale Artists’ School is a space used for art workshops, and classes for all levels both youth and adult. It is a retail shop for supplies and instruction materials, along with an art gallery for work done by many instructors throughout the school, and also houses open studios for artists.
Materials:
Walls-
Studying the materials on the walls, floors, and ceilings to see how they designed the school, i came to realize how simple the design is yet how effortlessly beautiful the interiors were. The walls were made up of drywall and plaster with coats of paint in the warm off white and gray families, the walls were full of framed artwork up and down all of the hallways.
Flooring-
The flooring was very simple as well, when thinking of this place housing an art school the flooring was a surprise but tied in the space so wonderfully. Throughout was primarily sealed and worn terracotta, the retail section had wood floors, and the classrooms and studios had what seemed to be vinyl tiling.
Ceiling-
The ceilings were simple with drywall and plaster with the same off white coats of paint, in the hallway space the ceiling shape came to a very low peak, and glancing in one of the classrooms they were primarily flat painted ceilings.
Lighting:
The lighting in the main hallway space was large spotlights pointing towards the walls, there is a lot of natural lighting thanks to the large windows that run along the hallway walls. Within the classroom I viewed there were ceiling mount square light panels that gave off a ton of light, plenty to work on whatever kind of piece being done at the time.
Acoustics:
On the windows there were thin roller shades on the west facing windows in the hallways. The vinyl floors in the classrooms helped with some acoustical properties along with the wood within the open retail portion of the interior.
In regards to acoustics. there were many hard surfaces, and you could hear a slight echo in the space when people talked, sound wasn’t very muted in the hallway spaces as they were primarily walls full of artwork, terracotta floors and blank ceilings.
Overall the experience walking through and despite the more modern day acoustic paneling in every space, the space was very calming, and widely therapeutic. The lack of sound barrier in the main public spaces, outside of the classrooms, was vastly comfortable, open, and beautifully laid out.
Similarities:
The similarities I see throughout my own project pertains more to the retail gallery concept they have but truthfully, overall there are similarities to the art studio as well. The art studios for the sake of having a specified space inside for instruction. while my concept brings out a lot of creative freedom within 16-17 year old students, the Scottsdale Artists’ School shows all levels of artists creating through things that inspire them as well.
