Introducing OS28

Greetings from OS28. The Oxbow School's spring semester began on January 23rd, with 45 students hailing from all over the country - Georgia, Maine, Texas, Washington, New Jersey, you name it! In today's post (the first official Ox-Blog post!), a few of the students would like to introduce themselves and tell you a little bit about what life at Oxbow has been like so far. Enjoy!

Hey! My name is Daisy. I am a junior from Albuquerque, New Mexico. I applied to Oxbow after hearing about the summer camp. I was really nervous about leaving home, but as soon as I arrived on campus I knew I’d made the right choice. We’ve only been here for a couple weeks, but it already feels like a month has passed! Everything we do here is so intriguing and engaging. There hasn’t been a project that I haven’t been excited to do! For example, last week in the painting studio we chose two items to depict in two different paintings, a representational piece and an abstract. I’d never really enjoyed doing still life paintings before, but Oxbow made it fun! Currently, I am working on an installation for the sculpture class. We took ideas from artists like Banksy and Brad Downey, and now we are putting up our own (totally legal, I promise!) sculptures all around Downtown Napa. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done before; it’s almost surreal. We’ve only been here for a short while, but I am already in love with every aspect of Oxbow School. 

Hello outside world,

We’ve made contact! My name is Isabella (Izzy) from West Palm Beach, Florida. I attend an art magnet school called Dreyfoos School of the Arts, but Oxbow is where I’ll call home the next 4 months. Coming here, I wasn’t sure what to expect at all. Now that we’re two weeks in, it’s hard to contemplate how much is done in a day. We’ve already begun exciting Co-curriculars (Oxbow's version of PE), one of which is Extreme Gardening. It’s not for the faint of heart, I assure you. With shovels, trowels, and electric tiller, we maintain gorgeous edible gardens around campus with iron will. This semester seems especially extreme, with a dedicated and hard-working crew (as well as the promise of bees on the horizon). I’m truly grateful every morning I wake up at Oxbow, and sometimes it doesn’t even seem real. I feel that there is incredible possibility here, once we all get past that stage of being afraid to leave our dorms. The dining hall is usually enough to coax us. Stay tuned for some fantastic projects that are already underway in the studios; I’m surprised every time I take a walk around the campus with all the new ideas already taking shape.

Hi! My name is Katie, I’m a junior and I live about 15 minutes outside Seattle. I decided to apply to Oxbow after I had an incredibly amazing experience at the Oxbow summer camp this past August. I knew if only two weeks at a summer program could impact my life so significantly, then the Semester Program would be indescribable! Though we’ve only been here for a little over two weeks, I already feel as though this is my home away from home, with friends I feel I’ve known for years. Sure, adjusting to a completely new way of life at a boarding school has had its challenges, but I can already feel myself growing and changing into the person I really am (as cliche as that may sound). The art classes have been so incredible and I’ve already been exposed to some really unique and innovative projects, from sculpting with dryer lint to making watercolor diagrams of dissected fruits and vegetables. Being surrounded by what I’m passionate about 24/7 is something I will never get used to – every day I’m constantly in awe to be in such an amazing little place. The humanities classes have also been really fascinating to me; they’re taught in a way that I think all classes in high school should be taught, with an emphasis on group discussion and big-concept thinking. There is no such thing as busy work here, which literally makes me so excited. This weekend, my homework is to sit for 2 to 3 hours in solitude outdoors and write about my one-on-one experience with nature – back home, that kind of assignment would be unheard of! Our in-depth discussions also make Walden interesting to read and discuss, whereas my other experiences with Thoreau have been pretty limited (and not nearly as enjoyable). I’ve loved every minute of being here at Oxbow so far, and I’m so excited to see how the semester unfolds!

Hey friends,

I’m Caroline, newly arrived Ox-resident from Dallas, Texas. Though I hail from an amazing school down South, I have long awaited a challenge that stretched beyond the realms of Academia. Whereas most schools focus on providing a college preparatory education, Oxbow is interested in cultivating deep-seated curiosity and an intense desire for self-betterment—Oxbow wants to impart an education for the world.

Here, I’ve been able to enrich my tastes in art, music, food, and culture. I’ve had the opportunity to meet fascinating people: my roommate whose wardrobe consists entirely of thrift store finds complete with her signature alterations, a sweet Southern belle who professionally spins fire, an amateur Dubstep artist who also has a passion for Ralph Waldo Emerson, and a tiny redhead, whose crusty, gutter punk exterior belies her empathy for the environment. I’ve been able to experience camaraderie and belonging while sketching on the suite’s floor, and downing Hershey kisses by the handful, and listening to Fleetwood Mac on our dorm’s beloved record player. I’ve had the honor of creating a home with six other fantastic girls by decorating our temporary nest with wire sculptures and two-dollar prints from Community Projects (Napa’s premier thrift store). We’ve forged wallpaper out of collaged Post-It doodles, and I’ve had the surreal experience of attentively discussing Thoreau into the early hours of morning. It’s crazy being able to suggest naming the school’s rooster Salvador Dali and instead of garnering the response of “Who?” receiving the compromise, “Okay, but only if we name one of the hens Georgia O’Keefe.”  It’s also refreshing to use complex vocabulary, pose theories, and have people ask questions, intent on understanding, rather than staring blankly. So far, Oxbow has been an incredible experience. In the coming weeks, I hope to enhance not only my art, but also my way of life.

In the coming weeks you will meet more of the amazing students of OS28 as their Oxbow adventure continues. We plan to post about once a week, so check back in soon for more stories. Thanks for reading!