By Rick Wright

Staff Writer

Jason Dube wanted to find a way to pay tribute to his grandfather, Claude R. Levasseur of Skowhegan, who died in 1995.

Last week’s Senior Art Show at Southern Maine Community College gave Dube the perfect vehicle to honor him.

Dube proudly displayed one of his works, “Grandther Tree,” at the show, organized to celebrate the first graduating class of SMCC’s art degree program. The South Portland school started the liberal studies program with an art concentration two years ago.

Dube’s digital color print featured Levasseur’s head and face shown from several different angles.

“I thought it would be fitting for my opening 3-D show to have him there,” Dube said. “I wanted to remember him. I don’t know what it is about grandparents that appeals to me. It seems like so much of who we are is rooted in who they were.”

Dube, 39, of Hollis, started the process by making a virtual sculpture using computer software. The result was a three-dimensional portrait Dube enlarged and framed to hang in the exhibition.  

“This is no different from any other kind of sculpture except it’s in 3-D,” Dube said. “You’re working in a digital space and you’re still manipulating the figure in three dimensions. It’s just like traditional sculpture. You have to set it up in the side view, front view and you have to work your outlines.”

Dube used some old photographs of his grandfather as models for the sculpture. Some of the pictures showed Levasseur participating in a bowling tournament and helped to more accurately portray his likeness.

In addition to “Grandfather Tree,” Dube showed three other digital color prints at the show held in the newly renovated Canteen Gallery on the SMCC campus. 

Dube is one of four art students graduating this month from SMCC. The others are Annie Rodriguez from Portland, Margo McIntosh from Washburn and Danna-Lea Swanson from York.

After graduation, Dube hopes to find a job doing 3-D digital work for games, films or the architectural visualization industry somewhere in the Boston area.

“My skills are in a certain niche,” Dube said.

The liberal studies program was introduced to the Maine Community College System nearly 10 years ago by John Fitzsimmons, president of the system. The goal was to attract more students to the colleges, which at the time offered only technical programs in vocational fields.

Concentrations were subsequently added to liberal studies majors that allow students to pursue special interests within their general education programs.

At SMCC, students are required to complete 61 credits overall for the liberal studies major. To get the art concentration within the major, a student must pass 27 credits worth of art courses that include art history, drawing and 2D design.

Before SMCC had an official art concentration, it offered art courses as academic electives to all students.

The concentration was created two years ago because of demand, said Jeff Badger, chairman of the fine arts department.

Four years ago, the college offered eight sections of art courses taught by four instructors. Today, the art department has more than 800 students registered for more than 50 sections of art courses and employs 25 instructors, Badger said.

The art concentration was developed to coincide with courses required by most colleges for a bachelor’s degree in art. It was quickly approved by SMCC’s curriculum committee and has been popular ever since, Badger said.

While the seniors were conducting their own show last Friday, an exhibition for all other SMCC students was happening across the street in the Art Studio.

Although the Senior Art Show was done for the first time this year, the exhibition has been going on for four years, Badger said.

Any student enrolled in an art course has been permitted to display their work at the campus-wide exhibition.

The show featured many kinds of art including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography and digital media.

“This is a good mix of all the variety of media classes that we offer here,” said Badger, who lives in South Portland.

Meridith Comeau was one of many admiring the works in the Art Studio. Comeau is an SMCC instructor who teaches in the architectural and engineering design department.

Comeau, of South Portland, said she came to the show to support her colleagues in the art department and to see students’ works.

“I wanted to make sure I came down to take a look at what was going on and what the students had to show for the year,” Comeau said. “I’m really impressed with the students’ talent. I hope many of them go on and continue their education.” 

Badger said it’s important for students to see their work displayed for the public.

“It’s the reward after making it,” Badger said. “An exhibition isn’t just for the viewer. There’s a real educational benefit for students to see what it takes to put an exhibit together.”

Rick Wright can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237 or news@inthesentry.com.