The Binghamton Art Club recently gained a preliminary charter from the Student Association (SA), aiming to be Binghamton University’s newest outlet for creative minds.
Binghamton Art Club co-presidents Lila Pomerantz, a sophomore majoring in graphic design, and Claire Goldstein, a sophomore majoring in psychology, said the Binghamton Art Club is designed to be a place for students to practice skills related to the visual arts, such as painting and drawing, regardless of skill level or major.
The charter allows the club to officially operate under the SA, giving them access to a B-Engaged page and an official SA email. They also receive other benefits such as being able to hold events and reserve rooms. However, the club currently only has a preliminary charter and cannot access a budget through the SA until after two active semesters.
Pomerantz said a lack of art-orientated clubs on campus inspired her to create the club alongside co-president Goldstein.
“There was a knitting club and origami club, and a few others that had some artistic values, but ultimately what I was interested in was a club that would focus on drawing and painting,” Pomerantz said. ”I thought, ‘Why not just start it myself?’ So I reached out to [Goldstein] to see if she would be interested in starting it with me. We are both artists, and we were looking to join an art community [on] campus and meet other people with the same interests.”
So far, the Binghamton Art Club has hosted events such as drawing models, and plans to do more events such as painting in the BU Nature Preserve, trips to art museums and community service. The Binghamton Art Club also hosts more casual meetings for members to freely create art and socialize.
Madison Mark, co-vice president of the Binghamton Art Club and a sophomore majoring in psychology, said she hopes the club will strengthen BU’s art community.
“I hope this club will bring together the artists of [BU] who aren’t necessarily majoring or minoring in art,” Mark said. “There are many [science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)] majors who want to incorporate more art in their schedule, but it’s hard to find a good time in everyone’s busy schedules. So the [Binghamton] Art Club is great for community in that sense.”
Currently, the Binghamton Art Club hosts weekly meetings on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the College-in-the-Woods Commons. Co-president Goldstein said she hopes to build an artistic community through the club.
According to the club’s B-Engaged, their mission is to create a space for all students to create, connect artists, inspire and provide art-related opportunities. Their listed goals are to “provide opportunities for creative expression,” “build a strong creative community” and “give artists of all levels a space to learn.”
Cristoval Guerra, a sophomore majoring in history, joined the club after seeing a flyer and said he admired the club’s diversity.
“The club has members of different races, [sexualities] and [genders],” Guerra said. “Additionally, I love how anyone can join regardless of how much art experience or art style they may have. I hope the [Binghamton] Art Club will be able to express students’ creativity. Not only that but, hopefully, the [Binghamton] Art Club can be an outlet for students — an outlet that allows students to express who they are.”