Rorschach 2.0

For the past week, OS32 has been working closely with Visiting Artist Leslie Shows.What started as a free for all with what seems like an endless supply of ink has now morphed into a real consideration of composition, texture, context, tone and value. Students are editing and altering their work into new compositions that have texture and negative/positive space at the forefront. With such limited materials, their creativity and problem solving are on full display: it really seems as if everyone has adopted a radically different approach. Here are some studio snapshots for you to see the whole experiment and variety of splatters, blots, puddles, lines, washes all coming together in different ways.

di Rosa Ramblings

Friday marked OS32's first fieldtrip, which we spent at The di Rosa in Napa.  Students had the unique opportunity to see a private collection of gargantuan proportions and varied styles. Not only does the di Rosa maintain a historic farmhouse and warehouse gallery overflowing with paintings, sculptures and installations, there is also an expansive (think: "acres") sculpture meadow, as well as a separate gallery currently showcasing work from a new artist residency partnership with Stags' Leap Winery.  

To the left is a shot of Richard T. Walker's show, the fallibility of intent in the Gatehouse Gallery. Walker is the first artist in residence through Stags' Leap Winery and his mesmerizing show was an aural and visual journey through the deep connections and transcendent awe one may feel in a sublime natural setting. Perfect companion to the students' reading and investigation of "Walden"!

Below are some shots of us touring the residence and interacting with pieces by Gordon Huether, David Ireland, and Mildred Howard. 

photos by: Pattiann Koury and Megan Broughton

Check our Instagram for more di Rosa pics. 

***special Instannouncement***

The Oxbow School is on Instagram! 

  --  follow @theoxbowschool --

for snapshots of daily life, works in progress, fieldtrip pics, #tbt and #fbf

This is a great way to visit campus, if only on your phonescreens.

http://instagram.com/theoxbowschool/

photos provided by current students, faculty, and staff. 

Administered by Residential Life Advisor Megan Broughton 

Co-Curriculars Showcase

Twice a week, Oxbowhemians cycle through faculty guided co-curriculars such as hiking, running, walking, biking, and "Surf n Turf" (a gardening/kayaking supercombo). The hikers and walkers go on adventures all over the Napa Valley, the runners enjoy the local riverside trails, bikers scale the surrounding mountains, and the gardeners harvest fruits and vegetables planted from previous semesters and propagate for the future ones. This week's blogging team (Zoë and Wheeler) gathered snapshots from each and quotes from participants so you can hear about it all firsthand.

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"Hiking reconnected me to a natural state of mind. I walked through the redwoods and thought about how old they must be. It was beautiful and relieving to get away from the town. The ambience changed from cars to birds." Stefan

 Skyline Park. photos: Wheeler. 

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"I love the running program here because it's a really good way to exercise with friends. I really like the river trail." Izzy L

pre-run smiles. selfie by: Tati

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"It's a hard work out. We go all through Napa - on the outskirts of the town and in the hills. We biked twenty miles last time. We biked up into this winery and it was very beautiful. It's a group thing I would say. I would say that it has made us all closer." Will

photo: Dirk

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"Gardening is beautiful and makes me feel connected to the earth. My favorite thing to do is plant lettuce." Bonnie

"I didn't expect to enjoy gardening nearly as much as I do. It's interesting because everyone does something different every time. We weed, plant seeds, and create new, more fertile dirt for the ground. Getting your hands dirty is oddly relaxing and meditative. I'm really glad I decided to join." Zoë 

A rock, paper, scissors tournament determines the gardeners and the kayakers, and some small spoils from clearing out the garden beds. photos: Megan Broughton

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members of Walkabout crossing a local river. photo: Pattiann Khoury

Getting Their Sea Legs

In honor of OS32's first full week on the river, we've collected some great photos for you that epitomize "the early days" of each semester. Some universally Oxbowhemian moments you will find here are: class breaks on the lawn, sketching the First Street bridge, discovering the school's many gardens and produce trees (one of which has a clever alteration thanks to OS31's Chris R.), obsessive slack lining, dinnertime conversation, and those intense first few studio days. These are special times for each semester as their culture and community is shaped and fostered from within. As educators, it is particularly incredible for us to witness these moments time and time again with new faces and personalities at work and play. 

OS32's first art project, Observation, will be complete by the end of the weekend! Check back here for reflections on that experience and snapshots of their final works. 

     Students work in groups on the lawn. // Jocelyn K. sketching.

It wouldn't be Oxbow without a slack line. // click on this image of the orange tree to see Chris R's (OS31), playful additions.

Students in sculpture learning various techniques with Patrick. 

Lily K. chats with her advisor Alex over dinner. 

photography by Tati B

INTRODUCING: OS32

They have arrived! Our 32nd semester is underway with 40 students from all over the United States, Canada, and as far away as Brazil. We're excited to work with these eloquent and multi talented students and to get to know them in the months to come. They've already had multiple opportunities in the first weekend alone to present their work to each other and their level of confidence and grace are encouraging signs for the semester. Check back here for weekly updates and student contributions - we'll be sharing news and snapshots of classes, shows, field trips and more.

(an early morning journaling session during Orientation Weekend)

31 for 31: Over & Out

It's that day: the one full of teary eyes and the sound of luggage wheels crashing down the stairs. OS31 is leaving us after quite the semester and armed with some very poignant advice from OS21, OS29 (thank you!) and each other. We have 31 marvelous, talented, hilarious, sassy, and caring new alumni who we hope will keep each other and Dum Dums close to their hearts. Congratulations to all of you for hanging in there with us - from the earthquake to the "flood." You're all champs and we are proud of you and your time here. It's not a "goodbye," it's a "see you soon."

The blog will be back in action in mid January - just in time to share OS32's adventures. 

Installation Mania

You know it's full steam ahead when this box emerges. / Watching paint dry. / Finn and Patrick mid-installation.

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Some of these shots will look familiar to alumni who have experienced "Finals Week" at Oxbow;  a non-stop installation extravaganza where the campus is turned on its head. In a whirlwind of activity, our studios are transformed into galleries via a well worn path of cleaning, clearing, spackling, and painting. If we had a nickel for every coat of paint on these walls, well...we wouldn't be rich but we'd have a decent amount of pocket change. Students drive the bulk of this work under direction from the faculty. Playing a part in the entire process is extremely rewarding - students witness first hand their ability to transform a space and professionally present their hard work. At times, this is a very creative process as we troubleshoot how to install certain pieces these Oxbohemians' crazy artistic minds have cooked up. 

                               


       Local readers: mark your calendars for OS31's Open House this weekend, December 13th and 14th from 1pm to 3pm. Students will be present on Saturday to discuss their work so stop by and meet these talented and articulate young artists!

A Micah in his natural habitat. / Hannah N. touches up her installation. / Isabel and Jeff (at center and right) assist Charley with her project.

photos: Hannah N and Megan

Left: The back of the Sculpture studio is stuffed with stools, chairs, tables, and equipment from the other studios. Right: Niki preps photos for installation.

Making Their Mark

One of the things I love most about the Final Project month is how individuals' work spaces begin to form self portraits. While in the studios, students curate a record of their time here as shown in the accruement of experiments, notes, and snack cart refuse. Patterns are formed through repetitive movements, tools are arranged in particular order and disorder, and materials reappear throughout in various forms: contained or in smudges, spills, drips, piles, charts. Each workspace is an abstract version of the final art piece. The studios take on the characteristics of multiple people- wandering through can feel like traveling between many worlds. Don't forget OS31's Final Show weekend December 13th and 14th!

Chris R, Kendall M, Cecelia H

(above) Kevin O and Sam S

(below) Isabella A and Liz C

Hannah N...and all the printmakers