Time seems to be speeding up at Oxbow! Many thanks to Jenna C. and Leo S. for this week's write up about what we're up to here in and out of the studios.

Jenna:

Marking the second week of class, everyone has finally settled into the groove of the amazing Oxbow School. Our first project, “Observation,” has come to an end and we are starting a new unit on “Place”. We must leave the comfort of our first studios and move onto the next. I have transitioned from still lifes in panting onto video in the New Media studio. I have been exposed to so many great teachers and lessons on art work. Throughout these units we are encouraged to really take our views on “Observation” and “Place” to the next level. In New Media we must create a video that uses place to tell a story about ourselves. Utilizing both sound and image, we are asked to pay close attention to the world around us. In our Connections and STEAM classes, we are learning about our ecological footprints and the core values that make up our lives. Not only have we become accustomed to the workload and studio time, but we have started our co-curricular activities! We are able to choose a range of activities such as hiking, biking, rock climbing, gardening, kayaking and even dog walking! It has been so nice to take a break from our work and get to experience our amazing co-curriculars. I am in the biking co-curricular taught by Patrick, the sculpture teacher. Not only have we been able to bike fun terrain, but we have gotten to see Napa’s beautiful countryside! As our second week at Oxbow comes to a close, we shared a nice bonfire on the pad while eating delicious s'mores!

Leo:

We’re at Week 2 and have started settling into the routine of Oxbow. This week’s topic is "Place”, and I have been working in the sculpture studio with Patrick. For the most part, we have been making sculptures using trash, nature, or found objects, and focusing on different meanings of place. We were given the option to portray places of personal importance, and I decided to interpret that as "states of mind" represented in shadow boxes. Some people are referencing geographic places that are important to them, while others are doing mental states as well. This week has been very interesting in academics as well, for our science class we were assigned a project that focused on waste. We were challenged with trying to make minimal waste for three days and become aware of the impact of our waste by documenting our output. Week 2 has been very exciting and I can’t wait for more to come!