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| Mikhaila in the Studio |
Fall 2012 Oxbow student Mikhaila Quezada-Freda earned silver and two gold keys from The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards administered through the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. She won a silver key for her portfolio overall and gold keys for her Oxbow Project X (Humboldt County Weather Map, mixed media) and Oxbox Final Project (Tangled Map, sculpture).
Napa Valley Register: 10 Questions - Head of School Seeks Creative Side of Students
By Jennifer Huffman
October 16, 2012
Stephen Thomas is the founding director and head of school at the Oxbow School in Napa. Oxbow is a visual arts–oriented, one-semester boarding school located in downtown Napa. Thomas, who has been an educator since 1984, described what he likes about working with high school students. “Their never-ending creativity,” as well as their idealism, energy and hope, he said. To read full article and his responses to all 10 questions click on the above link.
Lake Oswego senior Elise Wunderlich earns a national Portfolio Gold Award for her art accomplishments. The Portfolio Gold Award is the highest level of achievement in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the country’s longest-running and most prestigious award and recognition program for creative teenagers. She is one of just 15 high school seniors in the country honored with the Portfolio Gold Award, which includes a $10,000 cash prize.
"She credits her success to the intensive program she attended this fall at Oxbow in Napa, Calif. “Oxbow encouraged her to look at a wide variety of media which included performance art and sculpture,” said Katie Brink, one of Wunderlich’s art teachers at Lake Oswego High School." See the full article in the The Lake Oswego Review, Mar 22, 2012.
Delyn Phanor was April's featured young artist by Artists for Humanity. Check out his interview followed by a video created in their Graphics Department starring Delyn as he pays homage to Micron pens! Go to the link above for the complete article.
Oxbow students visit Green String with farming guru Bob Cannard, Oxbow's Lenora Ditzler, Environmental Science teacher, Chris Thorson, Painting teacher, and artist Patricia Curtan.
Advice I would give to future students is to just do it and come to Oxbow and not overthink it because it will most likely (99.9%) be the best decision you have made in your life.
— Malachi Snyder, Spring 2018
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
Artistically, I learned a lot of new techniques and mediums while here. I had access to much more than before and I made the most of it. I tried everything I could and always talked to my teachers and peers about new ways I could make art. Every so often, I completely stepped out of my comfort zone. Experimenting with technique and testing my artistic boundaries has helped me realize how many paths I have to choose from in the art world and that makes me excited for the future.
— Macy Manning, Fall 2023
A School Like No Other