Students are in and out of the Plattsburgh State College Store buying books for the coming semester and PSUC merchandise.
Some students may have noticed that the college store has a mystery section with a sign that says “unveiling soon.”
The Plattsburgh Association of Visual Arts has teamed up with the campus store to create a surprise for PSUC.
Under a white sheet in the college store, there will soon be a mural displaying the surrounding area.
The goal PAVA has is to advertise for the school and give a bright, fun experience for anyone who is at the store.
“Twenty years from now, I will be able to walk back into that building and see the paint mark that I messed up on and be like “That was my hand,” said Brian Menia, a member of PAVA. “It’s really cool to leave a permanent effect on campus.”
The Book and Convenience Store Director Mitchell Marcil said, “The College Store is really excited about trying something new and develop partnerships with student organizations and clubs for their special events, like fundraisings and ordering special club or organization merchandise for them.”
The College Store offers fundraisers for organizations and clubs to promote events. Percentages of the sales will go to the cause.
They also now offer to make T-shirts for clubs and organizations in addition to sports.
PAVA’s project is not a fundraiser but a partnership to leave a legacy on campus.
PAVA is the only art club on campus and is open for all students to join.
At meetings, students critique each other’s work and discuss art techniquesPAVA students create artwork around campus and downtown.
They host events on campus like pumpkin carving in the fall and creating Christmas cards in the winter.
At the end of each semester, students plan trips to art museums that bring them all the way to Montreal and Massachusetts.
Last spring semester, PAVA worked with the College Store during a carnival event.
They painted balloons and other carnival related images on the front doors of the college store. This semester PAVA is creating something more permanent — the wall mural.
Erin Doesher, a PAVA member and the designer for the mural said, “In today’s day and age, everyone loves murals and wants to take pictures in front of them.”
What was once a blank wall will now become a piece of artwork.
The college store had the opportunity to hire someone, but Marcil thought it would be better for this project to be student-run.
“I think it’s really important all around campus for not just art stuff but for students to be involved in doing things to make the school better,” Doesher said.
The mural is just in the beginning stages, but the goal is to finish by spring break.
If anyone is interesting in joining or finding out more information about PAVA, its Facebook is Plattsburgh Association of Visual Art and its Instagram is @pavaart.
