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Inside Oxbow

Who Are You?

04/13/20

OBJECTIVE: Organize your thinking into a typewritten art proposal that consists of 2-3 different project ideas that are possible with the materials, resources, and supports you identified in your list.

WHY WRITE A PROPOSAL?
Artists write proposals to present their ideas and earn support for their work. A proposal is often part of the application process for exhibition opportunities, funding, studio space, and technical support. For this project, you will be writing a proposal for a new artwork. It will help you determine your goals and it will guide the beginning phases of your work. Keep in mind that as you progress, your ideas and processes may evolve. You are not required to simply execute your proposal. Often, the richest and most rewarding projects evolve in response to new information.

COMPONENTS OF A PROPOSAL
• TITLE / HEADER: Include your first and last name, the date, the course, and the title of the assignment: “Who are you?”.

• INTRODUCTION: Describe your current surroundings and experiences. Put them into a global context of the current coronavirus pandemic and social distancing protocols.

•SUMMARY OF RESOURCES: Describe what you have learned about making art in your current circumstances. What are your challenges and strengths? What did you learn from making the list of your materials, resources and supports? What research will you need to do? What supports do you anticipate needing? How might your creativity help you cope with your current situation?

• PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Describe your specific project ideas and include sketches, diagrams, inspiration photos to illustrate your thinking (label each image). Be sure to answer the following questions:

What materials / process will you use?
How will the project challenge you artistically?
What is your artistic inspiration?
What artists are informing your thinking? Name at least one artist and describe what aspects of their work interest you (include an image of this work). Feel free to revisit the class slideshows, videos, artists websites to research artists, and explore museums and art collections virtually. You may also want to contact your studio teachers for additional recommendations.

• CONCLUSION: Summarize your inspiration for this project. How might this project help you cope with your current situation?

HOW DO YOU PRESENT A PROPOSAL?
A proposal is a formal piece of writing. To this end, it is important that the written request is typed, proof-read, uses clear language, and shows commitment for your ideas. This proposal will be especially helpful to faculty so that we may support you.

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It's been a whirlwind week, but also a time when I sang the praises of Oxbow to my colleagues. I've been thinking much about how Oxbow is an exemplar of true education. That art centers the curriculum is hardly surprising, and for those of us who work within the traditional educational mold Oxbow offers a gold standard of focused project based learning. Beyond the school's approach to immersive experience are the intangibles which make Oxbow different. The sense of community and of working together, even as each student retained their strong individual presence is palpable. The feeling of warmth and trust between the adults and the nearly adults in the Oxbow community could be felt throughout the campus. The openness of the architecture and interconnectedness of the three studios in themselves speak of the Oxbow philosophy and identity. More than form follows function, the physical attributes of Oxbow have a distinct warmth and invite exploration.

I'm sure that the ongoing challenges of leading and reinventing your school might sometimes keep you from having the time to see Oxbow with the fresh eyes of a visitor, but your steady presence and vision are really visible in every detail. Thank you for inviting me to one of the most profound experiences in my career.

— Ken Rush, Visual Arts Department, Packer Collegiate Institute

Oxbow School is one of the preeminent choices for creative high school students interested in the arts. Their project-based, integrated approach to learning mirrors the approach of many top art schools. At California College of the Arts, we are thrilled to see applicants who have attended Oxbow because we know they are well prepared for the rigors of college level work. I wish there had been an Oxbow School when I was a high school student!

— Stephen Beal, President, California College of the Arts

Our daughter graduated summa cum laude from NYU with a double major in Studio Art and Art History. She is now working for Calvin Klein. She is contemplating getting a law degree and pursuing a career repatriating art objects. She still keeps in touch with several of her Oxbow classmates and they have regular reunions in Manhattan... I would say that Oxbow was the best semester that any of my four children spent in their cumulative 16 years of high school. Our daughter was the right kid, and for the right kid you do a wonderful job. You changed her life. Thank you.

— John Powley, Parent

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