INTRODUCING OS35

They're here! With the Orientation Weekend under their belts, OS35 begins their arts and humanities classes tomorrow. The first Monday of each semester is always an exciting time as we begin to really know each group as scholars and artists, and we're excited to share their creations with the OxWorld at large. Tune in here and on Instagram over the semester for write ups and photos from students - the real inside scoop!

Bon Voyage, OS34

OS34 flew the coop yesterday and an unfamiliar calm has pervaded the campus, leaving us with not much else but the odd bit of discarded art and the echoes of tearful goodbyes. They were a very special bunch and certainly left Oxbow better than they found it - their time here was completely delightful and rewarding and their wit and laughter will be sorely missed. As with every semester, OS34 had its own unique challenges and we'd like to congratulate them for so fully conquering those and rising above as a strong and trusting community.

There is always a space for them on campus, and we hope to welcome many of them back to the riverbank soon as new alumni in between their many adventures to come.

FINAL WEEK OF FINAL PROJECT

Creeping up on the weekend and the end is near! 

Final Projects are due Sunday night and then we'll spend the week ripping apart the studios and converting them into galleries for Final Show. Join us at Open House on Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th from 1pm to 3pm to meet the students and discuss their work with them. 

Grace would like to thank National Geographic  

Twinning! Nilla spent the day hanging out with her piece to determine if it was really done or not.

Cam's lil house in the final stages...

Abby and Kit being studio buddies

Julianna's workspace

Haley in the midst of preparing for a shoot.

We should all aspire to Hanah's style choices. 

Emily tries a different approach. 

Typical scene. 

Alex tests her zoetrope!

Patrick casts Emet and Alex's faces for Emet's sculpture

Thanks to Cat, Glyn, Alex L, Tatiana, Emet, Sarah, and Cam for these photos. 

Oxpedition: Santa Cruz

Last week's Oxpedition took us south to Santa Cruz for three days of beach camping at Waddell Creek Beach and surfing at Steamers Lane. For many of the students, it was their first time on the Pacific Coast Highway and the weather and views did not disappoint as we passed through Pacifica to rent surfboards and wetsuits on our way to the campsite outside Davenport. Once there, we settled among the pines and ice plants with a bonfire and enjoyed the luxuries of car camping (no dehydrated humus, like in Point Reyes). Throughout the next two days, students explored the surrounding area, hiked through Big Basin State Park, searched for drinking and cooking water in various Santa Cruz locales, and hit the beaches and waves.

Props to all the first time surfers and everyone who came on this adventure:

Grace V

Ciara (photo creds)

Nilla

Trinity

Gracie

Tatiana (photo creds)

Haley

Zoe N-P

Emily

Bob

Kat

and

Ella

and special thanks to the co-organizers, Grace V and Ciara

 

Oxpedition:Point Reyes

Earlier this week a dozen students, along with Alex and Megan, went on a 3 day backpacking "oxpedition" to Point Reyes National Seashore. Starting at the Bear Valley Visitor Center, the group hiked 7 miles to the coastal Wildcat Campground where they set up shop and then walked south to Alamere Falls -  a rare "tidefall." The second day proved to be quite a bit more challenging though full of 10 miles of stunning vistas and near-mythical forests as we took the Coast Trail up to the Woodward Trail (HELLO, LARGE SHADELESS MOUNTAIN) to the Mount Wittenberg Trail (HELLO, LARGER MOUNTAIN) to arrive at Sky Camp for the night where we met some less than charming (but very entertaining) raccoons. In the morning, a quick 3 mile jaunt brought us back to the Bear Valley Visitor Center where we piled into the cars and sped off to drown in mole and aguas frescas at El Molino Central in Sonoma.

Special thanks to Sabrina and Kate (organizers extraordinaire!) who can be seen here cooking ramen and probably arguing over it. 

Congrats to 

Sabrina 

Kate

Sydney

Abby

Cam

Emet

Gala

Julianna

Zoe 

Juniper

Nilla

&

Eva

for great shows of support, enthusiasm, and resilience. 

This is part of a newly instituted program wherein students research, propose, and organize short camping trips - this coming weekend, we are going to Santa Cruz to surf at Steamer Lane and hike in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.

Wildcat Campground

Day 2: Taking time to journal and nap across from the Farallon Islands (not very visible in the photo)

Day 2 Lunch uphill from Kelham Beach

Day 2: just .5 miles to Sky Camp!

Just arrived at Sky Camp and actively collapsing. 

Day 3, morning: Heading out of Sky Camp after a plein air pancake breakfast.

photos: Alex Keilty and Megan Broughton

Spring on the River

This week's post (and playlist!) brought to you from Ella and Sendra:

Students arrived back on campus from break and spring is underway. The flowers are in bloom and so is final project. Students have begun individual research on their chosen topics, and the writing process is just starting. The rest of the week has been spent enjoying the weather, smelling the roses, taking power naps, and hanging out on the lawn. This weekend, many students are taking a break from their research to venture out to Point Reyes on OS34’s first overnight oxpedition. This weekend also features a special trip to Stephen Thomas’s house for a pizza party to kick off final project!

To get prepared for all of the artwork and writing ahead, here's an upbeat playlist to inspire some creativity!

Her Morning Elegance - Oren Lavie

Better Together - Jack Johnson

Young - Frankie Cosmos

Comeback Kid - Brett Dennen

Pilgrim - Mo

Grilled Cheese - Cherry Glazerr

Chicago - Sufjan Stevens

Spectrum - Florence and the Machine

ILYSB - Lany

If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out - Cat Stevens

Zoe, Chanina, and Trinity enjoying the sun by the river. 

Kat enjoying Spring

Math students basking in studio sunlight during a break

Gracie with the blooming roses

Students enjoying the weather out on the lawn

xoxo, Ella and Sendra

Flora and Fauna with Robert Kushner

Thanks to Emily Y for this week's write up on Robert Kushner's Visiting Artist Residency at Oxbow March 21 - 29:

This week, Robert Kushner has expanded Oxbow students’ knowledge on botanical art and art

itself during his ten day residency. Just finishing the two­ week research project, Project­X,

students were introduced to Kushner by a couple of sticks, jars of ink and flowers. They learned

how to sharpen sticks into fountain pens in order to observationally paint flowers on thin

Japanese paper. Kushner draws a lot of his inspiration from traditional Japanese art and his

interest in the natural world. His work is nationally acclaimed as the catalyst for the Pattern and

Decoration movement where his natural elements are placed in abstract and geometric

atmospheres which ultimately contributes to both a decorative and modernist style. His visit

ended with a large­scaled accumulation of the flowers on a big slab of wood to create the effect

of a dream garden. Preparing for Spring Break, Oxbow students are enjoying the sunny Napa

days and are finally finishing up big research papers and projects in their Humanities classes.

After Spring Break, the Oxbow School will readily enter its conquest into Final Projects!

Bob and CJ wish OS34 a happy Spring Break.

From the Studios, With Love

Enjoy this write up from Ev paired with some great shots by Ev and Phoebe!

This week at Oxbow, students have been working on Project X as well as wrapping up their Walden experiment and technical papers. While it has been a stressful week for the students at Oxbow, there has been a lot of learning experience and growth artistically and intellectually. For Project X, students have randomly picked their studio (New Media, Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture) and have been creating their art works after extensive testing (information redacted...alumni know that Project X is a secret until its launch!). For most, they have stepped out of their comfort zone and explored a completely foreign medium. It has definitely been difficult, but nevertheless has been worth the work. Within the next few weeks, students will be wrapping up their art piece and getting ready for a new research project with Humanities! To relax and get their minds off of the loads of work, students have been screening movies in the library, going on advisory trips to museums, and playing in the rain. Hopefully, the incredible amount of rain will slow down within the next week and we can enjoy the aftermath with our well-fed plants. Cross your fingers for a warm and sunny last-half of March at Oxbow!

Chris teaches Emily, Kit, and Glyn how to stretch canvas // Kat L in her chair corner 

                                                                  Alex W. manipulates slide film // Phoebe poses for Kit's project

Glyn at work in the Painting studio // Phoebe's works in progress

Ella endures a moulage casting session // Emily at work on her painting

journaling & researching! 

students researching and sharing ideas // Hanah at work in the Printmaking studio while Juniper and Stephen meet 

Cam journaling and sketching ideas for her Project X.  // Each student's journal is a unique glimpse into their process: here are Abby and Cam's side by side.