Glenn Sherwin is currently on a semester-long National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) trip in Baja California, hiking, sea kayaking & sailing. The only contact with family and friends has been a one-time letter, sent by snail-mail. She reports that the curriculum is simultaneously challenging and inspiring, and the scenery is breathtaking. According to the NOLS instructors, "there are 3 levels of fun. Level one fun is simply easy fun where everything goes your way. Level two fun is when it's still fun, but some crazy stuff happens and it is fun to talk about later. Level three fun is downright bananas and potentially life-threatening." She has experienced all but a full-on-level-three, and is thriving on the challenge in much the same way as her time at Oxbow pushed her to find her potential and live into it!
The art that goes on in most high schools is usually relatively skill-based. At Oxbow, there is more emphasis on looking and seeing and more critical thinking about what you are doing, the human connection, that personal element. Through art you can begin to understand yourself better. That may be the biggest eye-opener for students. It is almost a preview of college. Get out of the mechanical factory high school education and get into something open, new, and invigorating in a small environment.
— Bill Barrett, Former Oxbow Board Member, Former Executive Director of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design (AICAD)
I want to thank you all for being so supportive and wonderful, thank you for running this incredible program. And half of my acceptance to RISD is because of Oxbow. (Especially thanks to Chris who wrote my letter of rec, to Jennifer who revised my essays, to the admissions team who helped me with my portfolio.
— Jeff Shen, Fall 2014
If at any point Oxbow doubts the good it does, I just want to reassure you all that you’re changing the lives of young artists every semester.
— Colin Davis, Fall 2009
A School Like No Other