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.