LIHUE – Design plans are in fast forward at Kauai Community College for a 2,400-square-foot, multi-purpose classroom for music and art courses. “Construction wouldn’t start until winter 2015 at the earliest,” said Brandon Shimokawa, vice chancellor for administrative services. In
LIHUE – Design plans are in fast forward at Kauai Community College for a 2,400-square-foot, multi-purpose classroom for music and art courses.
“Construction wouldn’t start until winter 2015 at the earliest,” said Brandon Shimokawa, vice chancellor for administrative services.
In August, Gov. Neil Abercrombie released $39 million for facility improvements at University of Hawaii campuses, $2 million of which is earmarked for KCC.
“These projects, at campuses from Lihue to Hilo, are long-term investments in our state university system, an anchor of our island community,” Abercrombie said.
The Fine Arts 1 building at KCC was originally constructed nearly 40 years ago. The 3,500-square-foot space houses a photography lab, classroom, storage space and restrooms.
“Although the classroom is used for voice, acting, and piano lessons, the other half of the building needs to be renovated,” Shimokawa said.
Greg Shephard, who has been teaching music for the past 26 years at KCC, said he is hopeful plans will include a stage and performance area. He teaches full time with classes, including acting, voice, piano, music theory and music history.
“I teach four to five classes each semester,” Shephard said. “We use a makeshift performance area because we have to pay to use the Performing Arts Center. It’s a shame we can’t use PAC.”
His classroom is currently 900 square feet, cramped with 12 electronic keyboards, and sometimes costumes, but no private soundproof rehearsal rooms for students.
“If it gets built, it will be a welcome addition,” Shephard said. “I’m hoping the music department will have a good, dedicated space with the renovation.”
This fall semester, 227 students are enrolled in music and art classes, including ceramics, fine art, digital and photography specialties. The renovations will also include office space for the security staff.
Stephanie Britt, a fine arts teacher for the past two years, said the space they currently use is great but it could always be bigger.
“Then we could accommodate more students, because that is what it is all about,” Britt said.
Being a professional artist for Hallmark greeting cards, illustrating books and exhibiting and selling her art has given her great pleasure, but teaching for the past 20 years is another joy.
“Art is basically my entire life,” Britt said. “At the end of the day, if I can help somebody know how to approach art and be excited about it, I’m happy. I’m not interesting in producing cookie-cutter artists, I want them to grow into art through who they are.”
In the digital arts area, full-time instructor Matt Fulmer believes his students can benefit from the specialized skill sets they learn in his classes.
“A lot of people used to look at art as something to do in their free time or as a hobby,” Fulmer said. “But it is now a necessary skill set, same as learning a foreign language.”
