DOMINICK CORSI
Special to The Leader
Are you art savvy? Are you looking for a way to express yourself?
You could be in luck; the Art Forum Club is in the process of being revived.
The Art Forum Club was active as recently as Spring 2022, but has become inactive the past few semesters.
Former Faculty Advisor for the club Peter Tucker has been taking steps to revive Art Forum Club and find students who are interested.
“I want Art Forum [Club] to exist for a number of reasons. It’s about providing a non-judgemental [ungraded] opportunity to create artwork and learn methods of creation,” Tucker said. “I think it’s important for our students to feel a sense of community and Art Forum [Club] can provide that.”
In the past, the organization has completed several projects that have been displayed on- and off-campus.
Former Art Forum Club President and Fredonia alumna, Angeline Ginsberg, urges students to get involved in the campus community.
“It was a great way to meet students outside of the art program and to foster those connections within the program as well,” Ginsberg said. “We would always advertise that you don’t have to be an artist to join because it was really just a way for people to de-stress, have a good time and make something for fun.”
After coming to Fredonia hoping to get her degree in drawing and painting, Ginsberg switched to ceramics after enjoying a pottery class during her sophomore year.
Ginsberg joined the E-board for Art Forum Club at the end of her freshman year, working her way up to president during her senior year.
“Angeline was a driven student; she knew what she wanted and she worked towards it,” Tucker said about the former club president. “She wasn’t shy about her desire to keep Art Forum [Club] alive and active; her dedication and drive helped make Art Forum [Club] an active and engaged club for students on campus.”
That dedication and drive has led Ginsberg to following her passion as a full-time tattoo artist on Long Island.
As soon as she turned 18, Ginsberg started applying to apprenticeship programs both in Western New York and back home on Long Island.
She’s been applying her skills at Kinetic Body Art Gallery for four years and counting.
If you’re looking to get a tattoo soon, Ginsberg is planning on doing a tattoo guest spot or pop up when she’s back in Fredonia in November.
Ginsberg talked about creating a mural at Fredonia Central School and explained why it was her favorite project as president of the Art Forum.
“We worked with a wide range of students from elementary to high school and the murals are now hung in their hallways,” Ginsberg said. “It was a great experience seeing young students [that are] passionate about art and their community. It was great to feel like we were giving back.”
Protecting artists’ freedom of expression is a principal element of Art Forum Club.
“One of my favorite memories of Art Forum [Club] is when they initiated a protest against the removal of an ‘In Sight/On Site artwork: Stockpiles’ by Rainy Lehrman,” said Tucker.
Tucker is an advocate for students and artists to be able to express themselves artistically without being censored in ways that take away from the art.
In the past, the club has held workshops and activities that involved the creation of artwork or teaching/learning new techniques.
Art Forum Club has also invited guest speakers and artists from around the community.
If you’re interested in getting involved with the club, email peter.tucker@fredonia.edu expressing your interest.
Also, you can check out Angeline Ginsberg’s Instagram @angeline.tattoo for updates on all of her latest creations.