Off To The Aran Islands

 

We have had another very full day here in the Burren.  Our requirement for this experience is that everyone be in their studios working by 9 AM, or on location, or making art in some way.  Our students are putting in 13 or 14 hour days here and the results are truly amazing.  

During the school year our semester runs approximately 12 or 13 weeks.  Each student is in class an average of 4 hours per week and completes assignments outside of class.  Here, among other dedicated art students, they compress the same expectations, into a little less than three weeks.  Both Tim and I truly believe that this is the preferred way to teach an art course.  Maybe it would be best if the typical 4 semester course schedule were taught in 4 three week increments, with each course being taught in this compressed, uninterrupted way.  It certainly works here.

Lena Isenberg is one of the students who is participating in this years program.  Lena actually spent a semester here last year as part of Wheaton’s Junior Year Abroad Program.  She writes:

“I studied abroad at the Burren College of Art a year ago and I can’t put into words how happy I am to get to come back.  It feels like going home.  This experience so far has been incredible, and I know its only going to get better.  We had our first critique on thursday and it was by far the best critique I’ve ever been part of.  We were all excited about everyone else’s work, and I was challenged to push my photography to the next level.  My work for my senior show was inspired by my study abroad experience here, and it’s such a blessing to now have three weeks with Wheaton professors and students to be an artist in my favorite place in the world.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is very difficult to describe a typical day here.  Each student has a very different set of goals.   What unites all of them is their love of making art and the very real bonding that has taken place between them.

Tomorrow at 7:15 AM we will be picked up at the student house and driven by bus to Galway to board the ferry for the Aran Islands.  We will spend the better part of two days there exploring and gathering more resource material for making art.  I won’t be able to blog on wednesday or thursday but I will certainly have much to share on our return.

Here are a few photographs made over the past two days that will show you what we have been doing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the days to come, I will be sharing many more personal statements and photographs with you.  My goal is to complete this blog in a way that will allow you an inside look at what has transpired here. I plan to publish many photos showing students working on their projects, places we have visited and art completed by our students.   Please let us hear from you.  We would like this to be as interactive as possible.  Ask questions…… what are you thinking about all of this?  

All for now.  Here are a few more photos to complete this blog.  Good night and wish us fair weather on the Arans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until friday….

 

Andy Howard