| Trip duration: | 2 weeks |
|---|---|
| When: | May 31 - June 14, 2011 |
| Where: | Santa Fe, New Mexico |
| Departure/Arrival Airport: | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Who: | 10-14 teens (ages 14-19) and your friendly trip leaders and mentors |
| How Much: | $1,600 program fee includes room, board, and all activities. Fee does not include personal spending money or transport to & from Santa Fe. |
| Application Status: | Canceled! Sorry :( |
| Priority Application Deadline: | December 1, 2010. On this date we will make our first round of enrollment offers. Apply beforehand for your best chance of getting a space. |
Santa Fe, New Mexico: An Art Mecca
*** This is an Unschool Adventures leadership program. ***
Learn more about our leadership programs here.
Are you passionate about creating visual art? Are you interested in selling your artwork? Do you already possess artistic skills, but are unsure about how to take your work to the next level of professionalism? Are you looking for new artistic media to explore?
In this highly practical and interactive two week program, students will be provided with a sampler platter approach to visual art. They will be exposed to numerous styles of visual artistic media through hands-on workshops, which will enable them to improve upon existing artistic knowledge and technique in familiar media, as well as discover previously unknown passions in unfamiliar media.
The different types of visual art to which this program will provide exposure include, but are not limited to:
In addition, students will receive practical advice and knowledge from local artists, and they will gain tools to start and maintain an artistic business as well as continue their artistic self education once the program concludes.
The artistic director of the program is 21-year-old potter and unschooler Brenna McBroom. Brenna is a former New Mexico resident and an experienced "arto-didact" who decided to stop going to New College of Florida to teach herself pottery. In 2010 she created a month-long professional internship for herself with a potter in Cambridge, MA, and she is currently writing a book on how to get an art education without college. She's the perfect person to run this program (and, in fact, she designed it!) You can learn more about Brenna and her art in this online interview.
Scheduled, hands-on workshops in a variety of visual media. Students may spend an afternoon learning to draw portraits from a live model, attending a photo shoot in beautiful Santa Fe in the style of Ansel Adams, getting muddy while throwing pottery on the wheel, observing and participating in a glassblowing session at a local studio, or learning the art of spinning wool and weaving Native American rugs.
Leadership workshops (led by UA director Blake Boles) that relate to running an artistic business. The topics of these workshops include: starting an artistic business and marketing your artwork, setting goals regarding your artwork and your arts education, and creating apprenticeship, internship and volunteer opportunities as an artist.
Guest talks by local artists. The trip leaders will arrange for a series of guest artists to visit in the evenings and discuss topics including: obtaining gallery representation, navigating the world of craft shows, starting and maintaining a website, acquiring technical skills, and finding creative inspiration.
Opportunities to work with local artists. Students will have the chance to approach artists in the community and arrange brief internships or job shadows while the program is in session. Trip leaders will coach students in the interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in this challenge. Students will leave the retreat with the ability to implement these same skills and abilities with artists in their hometown.
Special events. When we're not blowing glass and making paper, we will enjoy special events such as museum and gallery visits, a talent show, scavenger hunt, and student art show (in which we dress up in fancy clothes, eat smelly cheeses, and use words like "derivative" and "composition" whilst admiring one another's artwork).
10/3/10 Update: Our housing situation is TBA. Our previously scheduled accommodations at the Santa Fe Hostel did not prove adequate upon inspection. Please check back for updates.
Breakfast will vary, and may include cereal and milk or soymilk, coffee, tea, orange juice, bagels, granola, and fruit. Students will pack a "grab and go" style lunch from a variety of available ingredients every day. Dinners will be provided by our in-house chef. Dinners will be vegetarian, and lunch will include meat options.
Week One: Students will participate in hands-on workshops taught by Santa Fe artists, providing exposure to a wide variety of visual artistic media. We will visit several museums in the afternoons, and in the evenings, leadership workshops will provide the tools for next week's internship challenge.
Week Two: At the beginning of the week, and with the support of the staff, students will arrange job shadows or internships with local artists. For the remainder of the week, they will pursue these internships and enjoy free time in Santa Fe. In the evenings, working artists will visit us at the hostel and host discussions about the life of a working artist.
E-mail and phone. Santa Fe has widespread cellular coverage and our hostel has free wireless internet. A laptop will be available for students to write e-mails when needed.
You'll get your own twin bed in a gender-separated dorm. Our group will have exclusive access to our dorm rooms (i.e. no other travelers). Staff sleep in separate rooms from the students. There are full bathrooms (also gender-separated) with hot showers.
Breakfast is a do-it-yourself affair where students choose from fresh fruit, cereal, milk & soy milk, eggs, toast, yogurt, juice, granola, etc. For lunch, we provide a build-it-yourself sandwich sack lunch option. (Students may also purchase lunch out with personal spending money.) Dinner is a large, hot, nutritious meal prepared by staff and work-traders. We cook vegetarian for safety in food preparation.
We can easily accommodate meat-eaters and vegetarians. Vegans, dairy-free and wheat-free students will be able to eat many, but not all, of our offerings. Please feel free to consult us if your needs are more specific.
Yes! During the day and in the evenings you'll have large chunks of time to self-structure. You can use part of this time compute, nap, read, play music, write, explore, do laundry, or just relax.
Our evening obligations end between 10-11pm, and we don't leave the hostel until 10am most mornings. If you need lots of sleep, you'll have the chance to get it.
Yes, please! Cell phones are required and laptops are very handy for this program.
Apply by filling out our online application. We'll then get in touch and do a phone interview. Enrollment will be offered beginning on the date of the Priority Application Deadline (see above). After being offered enrollment, a $500 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your spot.
Contact us via e-mail or phone and we'll be happy to answer your questions.