"Hi! I just wanted to send you an email to thank you and Kimb so much for everything I learned in Summer Scene Painting. I am charging a show right now up in Ithaca (I am a junior this year), and since our beloved
Binky is not working at IC this year, we now have no paint teacher. Everything I have learned at Cobalt was so invaluable and now in a time where I have little to no paint knowledge coming from my mentors, I am so glad I went to SSP. The show I am doing is huge and we have barely any time to do it, and we have had to do almost everything that we learned about at SSP (wallpaper, making stencils, woodgrain, marble). I don't know what I would have done without it! Our new scene design teacher doesn't really know much about painting and neither does our TD, so I have literally found myself in a place with my show (and shows that my peers are charging, as well) where I had to literally find out where and how to order things, as well as teach th other students things that are important for their show. Things like making starch and starching muslin have completely fallen into my hands because nobody knows what the heck they're doing. I even made a little binder with all the handouts I got and notes I took from SSP and called it my "Paint Bible" and have referred to it at least once a week through this year. It has been so invaluably helpful and it has also built up my confidence a ton!
So I just wanted to send you guys a thank-you email, because I literally have learned all I know about paint from you guys. And I am trying to pass it along to everyone here at IC as well...thanks SO much! :)
Have a happy thanksgiving and holiday season!"  -- Kelly M. Syring

Cobalt Studios reply:
"Ah, isn't it great to be needed? And what do we hear about Scenic Art dying???? HRUMPH, I wish, I wish more folks would have your experience, to know how valuable a scenic artist IS!! It truly is wonderful to know about something that is valuable. I am thrilled to hear how you are taking the ball and running with it! It would not be happening if you had not stepped up to the plate! Anyway, thank YOU for using it all, and for passing it on! not everybody can come to Cobalt, so we count on having students such as yourselves pass it on. Why the "powers that be" do not recognize the value of having a paid person there is beyond me. (it could be you!) It truly is the unknown career choice, and also the unrecognized missing link sometimes!
Anyway, Thank you! May I put your letter on our website as a testimonial? It might inspire some others to come, or some places to hire scenics!   Keep in touch! Cheers! Rachel

Testimonials continued...    back