CO/LAB in the MUSE

Muse: Co/LAB: After all, two heads are better then one

Design, art studio students will show screen printing demo on Picnic Day
By: Nicole L. Browner
Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment


What do you get when you mix a design student with an art studio student? The answer is Co/LAB, an informal group of UC Davis students and non-students who collaborate on artistic work to better their personal skills.



Formed in November 2006 by senior design major Milan Phan, Co/LAB is an attempt to "build a design or creative community because we feel like there isn't one," Phan said.



Phan further explained that the original purpose of organizing was for a senior showcase scheduled for the end of the school year. But considering the diverse involvement experienced so far and a lack of interaction between the design and art studio communities on campus, the theme changed to an informal collaborative group.



"We felt that collaboration is one of the best resources we have during our college careers, so we decided to start this group," senior design major Adam Guzman said.



Co/LAB members do not expect to receive any units from their effort. Instead, the group has yet to formally organize with the UC Davis campus. They do, however, have loose affiliation with Pixel, a visual communication design club on campus.



The group keeps in contact through a facebook.com group, e-mail listserv and a Weblog. Weekly evening meetings are coordinated to cater to the schedules of the members and are usually held in the residence of coordinator Phan.



At the meetings, members of smaller projects touch base and brainstorm ideas for their projects, but at large Co/LAB members are working toward their May 21 show. Week by week, they take small steps in the process. Stickers and silk-screened posters are a few of the many artistic endeavors the members have taken on.



For their May 21 show, there will also be a simulated room installed and completely designed by the Co/LAB members. They would also like to incorporate a live mural, digital video or other types of visual media, all of which could use the assistance of a wide range of creative skills from disciplines other than art studio and design, specifically technocultural studies students.

Semar Prom, senior art studio major and one of the directors of the Basement Gallery, has deemed himself liaison of the two related groups. Co/LAB will be using the Basement Gallery for its show, and Prom has offered to instruct Co/LAB members on how to screen print.



Co/LAB will be holding a Picnic Day screen printing demo at the Walker Hall dye lab on Apr. 14. This demo aims to give exposure to the Co/LAB group as well as promotion for its May 21 show.



The future of Co/LAB presents many possibilities - with intentions of branching out to students with skills in many mediums, the group can grow. At this point, the club faces the challenges of advertising and creating a budget proposal for a grant.



"Working with people with different backgrounds and skills is important. If this project goes well, hopefully it will continue to foster better relationships between design and art studio departments," Prom said.



For more information, visit collablog.blogspot.com. The Co/LAB will be holding a meeting today at 6 p.m. at 217 C St.