Unison Arts Offers Classes For Student Artists

Throughout the month of February and intermittently through their 48 years of business, Unison Arts has been offering figure drawing classes at 9 Paradies Ln. These sessions are currently being held weekly on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This has been Unison’s longest-running program thus far, both at their former and current locations. As per their website, the center has chairs and easels on hand. However, attendees are asked to bring their own art supplies and drawing boards. 

Unison Arts’ Executive Director Marielena Ferrer has been passionately working at the nonprofit for over a year now. 

Ferrer explained that this form of art is “what we call life drawing. That implies that you could be drawing figures or you could be drawing still-objects. So, whatever is there to draw, or using what we would call plein air art — to go outside and draw the landscape, buildings — it involves any kind of drawing.” 

The organization sits on a beautiful two-acre property, offering spaces both inside and out to draw inspiration from. Whether there is a figure class in the gallery with a model or a Chinese Chestnut tree standing in the backyard, attendees are given vastly different opportunities to express their artistic abilities.

“We want to try and offer a more experimental space as a gallery to do things here that maybe a traditional gallery may not allow you to do because you have to follow certain rules in a typical gallery,” Ferrer said. 

Around the side of the building, behind the parking lot, is a mural illustrating what was once an average garage. The mural was made in collaboration with local artist Lady Pink, featuring the faces of revolutionaries like Sojourner Truth, along the structures’ side panels. Heading into the garage is like walking into a piece of art, and Unison hosts photography exhibits inside.

Ferrer said that at Unison they “want to encourage the students of SUNY New Paltz to use the space for all the activities that we have here. We offer them the same discount that we give to the members. This organization also has a membership, so you pay ‘X’ amount a year, and you get certain discounts, access to special events, things like that.”

Prices are listed on their website as follows: “Two consecutive sessions would cost $55 for Unison members and $65 for non-members. Four consecutive sessions cost a total of $100 for Unison members and $120 for non-members. Students can sign up for individual sessions, costing $25 if you can present a student ID upon entry.”

Unison Arts works toward a more inclusive and cost-efficient experience for all. “When you’re a student, [you’re] normally very tight on a budget, so we don’t require the students to be members. But if you are a student, you pretty much enjoy the same privileges of a member,” Ferrer said. 

Students are not the only ones with these perks. “There is also a discount for seniors. But, we realized that most of the seniors who were coming to Unison were not in financial need, but students normally are. We have been updating that membership and discount structure to reflect the current times and the current situation that we have here,” Ferrer said. 

Additionally, Unison has hosted several exhibitions that were organized, curated and installed solely by students. Ferrer said this past December they “had students from the photography program, and one of the classes had their show here. We’ll also host a class from the school tour program, and they’re planning to have their installation here.”

Ferrer explained how Unison plans to continue strengthening their bond with New Paltz’s art department through future collaborations. “Each year when the MFA program brings the new cohort of students, they also have an event here.” 

Many students have and continue to come to openings or other events that the center has hosted. Ferrer added that “some students have also come to participate, so one of the things that we want is for Unison to also be for the students.” These collaborations are extremely beneficial to the organization as well as students as well.

To further illuminate local and student artwork, Unison has plans to bring in new artists. “This would also involve SUNY New Paltz alumni that have now seen the difference between being in school, being outside, what they remember, what would’ve been great if they could have done before they went into professional work. All of those experiences are really informing, and offering that we are now presenting mostly for the students.”

Ferrer emphasized how at its core, New Paltz is a community-based, college town. “So much of the population here is college students, and we really take that into consideration,” Ferrer said. 

One of Unison’s main functions is to provide a welcoming atmosphere to undergrads, postgrads and those in between. “For some, it is a little bit drastic after you’ve gotten used to the campus environment and suddenly you don’t have that anymore because now you’re on your own, and you have to build up your own support and community. Of course, the school offers a lot of support for that transition, but we also want to offer a little bit more of that space if that is possible,” Ferrer said. 

In this series of their figure drawing workshop, there will be four total sessions hosted. The first was on March 4. Upcoming workshops will be on March 11, 18 and 25. To learn more about Unison Arts check out their website, www.unisonarts.org/ or Instagram, @unison_arts.