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by Kristin Muller
Kristin Muller is the Executive Director of Peters Valley School of Craft and Adjunct Faculty at Hood College. She's also a studio potter, who specializes in wood firing.
"Working at a craft school exposed me to the possibility of quality learning beyond college," she says, "It actually opened up a new world of options for me."
Experience is non-transferable.
I grew up with that encouragement. It was my dad’s way of encouraging and inspiring his children to be patient, to never give up, to believe that experience builds knowledge, character and yes, for many of us, art. Experience builds art. Experience creates art. Experience in and of itself is an art. When you learn a new skill you more or less begin with the basics - simple steps to get you going, to get you started. Simple. Not overly complicated, or hopefully, not too complicated. It’s kind of like building blocks – you place one on top of the other, and those basic blocks – skills - become the very foundation for advanced skills. You start small, and you build from there. An effective teacher, or mentor, will impart that information in a clear, concise manner – an easy manner – so it inspires and produces early success, and encourages the student, the learner to advance even more, even further. It inspires. When you begin to learn - and start to fall-in-love with what you’re learning - you want to move quickly, rapidly, through the process, because you want to get there, and it can feel like you have hopped onto the fastest moving train travelling down a real narrow path that is a miles and miles and miles long. And for that moment it’s completely and thoroughly accelerating. Experience is non-transferable. But when you start to refine your skills, when you dig further and further into a topic, it can feel like you’re diving into a very narrow space that is miles and miles deep. Miles deep is very different – wholly different - than miles long – it’s a very different experience to delve into advanced learning. It’s hugely challenging and can be hugely discouraging and very often – more times than not - can be hugely frustrating. But that’s the beauty of digging deeper, getting to the root, advancing. Discouragement and frustration and all the challenges that at times seem insurmountable transform themselves into something extraordinarily tangible, magical, and all-in visceral – and that’s called a personal experience - and that’s the absolute beauty of having dug deeper and further and feeling your way through the darkness and narrow space. Coming to a Craft School is very much like deciding to take a journey, one that is both miles long and miles deep. You come to a place that is ready to receive you open arms: with instructors and resident artists who are ready to take you straight into a quest of discovery, of skill building, of expansive thinking, of history of material and craft, of design, and so much more. But the key here is to experience it for all that it is. We can provide the information, we can share our stories, we can offer up our disappointments and victories, we can hold up our art, our craft, our finished pieces, but the experience is yours, that part of the journey you have to take on for yourself. Experience is non-transferable.
photo by Robin Dreyer
Pilchuck School of Glass - APPLY BY 2/3/16 RECEIVE PRIORITY PLACEMENT/LOTTERY
Student applications received prior to midnight (PST) February 3, 2016 receive priority placement and are entered into a lottery. Click here to learn more.
Penland School of Crafts - EARLY APPLICATION DEADLINE 2/11/16
May - September Season. Click here to apply.
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts - WORKSHOP/SCHOLARSHIP APP DEADLINE 3/1/16
Workshop/Regular Applications Due 4/1/16. Click here to apply.
Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts - ROLLING ADMISSION UNTIL WORKSHOPS FILL UP!
Peters Valley School of Craft - ROLLING ADMISSION UNTIL WORKSHOPS FILL UP!
5 Ways to Be Part of Penland Summer 1. Take a Workshop. Registration is currently open for 104 workshops from May through September. The early application deadline is February 11 at 5pm. 2. Apply for a Scholarship. Over 300 work-study positions, studio assistantships, and partial and full scholarships are available. Scholarship applications are due by February 17. 3. Take Advantage of Discounts for Teachers and Local Folks. Read about ourStandby Program for more details. 4. Intern at Penland. We're hiring six interns to work with the studios, gallery, development office, Kids Camp, and more. Apply by February 15. 5. Join Us for the Auction August 12-13. Mark your calendar and sign up to receive auction email updates. Free Open Studio Residency Haystack’s Open Studio Residency provides two weeks of studio time and an opportunity to work in a supportive community of makers. The program accommodates approximately 50 participants—from the craft field and other creative disciplines—who will have uninterrupted time to work in six studios studios (ceramics, fiber, graphics, iron, jewelry, and wood) to develop ideas and experiment in various media. Participants can choose to work in one particular studio or move among studios depending on the nature of their work. All of the studios will be staffed by technicians who can assist with projects. Click here to read more about the residency, and click here if you're ready to apply. Summer Conference:Haystack’s Summer Conference, Craft Thinking: Ideas on Making, Materials, and Creative Process, focuses on thinking-through-craft. How do creative processes and materials inform the work that we make? The 2016 Haystack Summer Conference features presenters, who come from a variety of creative disciplines in art, design, architecture, and writing. Our focus is on how we think through craft and how creative processes, audiences, and materials inform the work that we make. Craft is a place where innovation and tradition, skill and intuition, exist together. Whether making a mobile oven for baking bread, rethinking a museum collection, programming machines that can print objects, or choosing to work in vernacular tradition, the very definition and scope of craft is constantly shifting The conference is intimate in scale and allows ample time for informal conversations with presenters and attendees. Conference presenters give talks and either lead discussion groups or studio based workshops that provide a way of exploring ideas through materials. The workshops and discussions are repeated so that attendees can take part in multiple activities. Registration for these is done each day of the conference and no previous experience is required. 2016 Conference Presenters: Tanya Aguiñiga Nora Atkinson Dan Beachy-Quick Daniel Johnston Faythe Levine Michael O’Malley Ron Rael Paul Sacaridiz Jenni Sorkin Students who attend a Summer Workshop at Haystack receive a 20% discount on registration for the conference! Mark the “Conference Special” box on the Workshop Application. You must be 18 years old to apply. Haystack processes applications on a first-come, first-serve basis. Download an application for Haystack’s 2016 Summer Conference Register for Haystack’s 2016 Summer Conference – fillable form Apply for a Haystack 2016 Summer Workshop Artist in Residency Program: The Arrowmont Artists-in-Residence Program was established in 1991. The program provides early career, self-directed artists time, space and support to experiment and develop a new body of work in a creative supportive community environment of 160 rotating visiting workshop artists/instructors and hundreds of students. The program encourages early career artists who embrace community and enjoy working in a team environment to apply. For more about the Artist in Residency program, click here. Educational Assistant Program Educational Assistantships are an integral part of Arrowmont's operations, and provides an opportunity for people with limited financial resources to participate in classes. Educational assistants receive class tuition, housing and meals during their assistant commitment. Travel, materials fees and other art supplies are the responsibility of the student and are to be paid weekly. Classes are awarded based on availability. For more about the Educational Assistant program, click here. Exhibition: “Touch: Interactive Craft” is a national juried exhibition organized by Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. This year’s theme invited submissions that involve viewer interaction, require audience manipulation for the piece’s creation or enjoyment, or gain significance by being touched. “Touch,” acknowledges that traditional craft forms are rooted in their functionality, and as such are often created to be handled. Chosen by juror Emily Zilber, the works selected for the exhibition reflect impressive levels of craftsmanship and engage the viewer in innovative ways, breaking the typical passive viewing barriers of a museum or gallery setting. For more about the "Touch: Interactive Craft" exhibition, click here. Photo contest: Here's your opportunity to share your Arrowmont Experience with the world! We want your best photographs that reflect your time at Arrowmont – whether it's in the studio, around campus, in the park or after hours. You can submit limitless photos for the chance to win the grand prize. A winner will be chosen in November 2016 and announced by January 31, 2017. Click here for instructions on how to enter. and of course, Enrollment: One week to register early! Register online or by phone for 2016 workshops by February 1st and save $50!
Ready to apply for any of these positions at the Pilchuck Glass School? Click here.
Teaching Assistants The primary role of a TA is to support teaching and community building activities within Pilchuck’s unique educational and artistic community. Successful candidates would have an interest in teaching, great project planning and time management skills, be proactive, and enjoy problem solving. All assistants must have extensive studio experience and an interest in collaboration. Though not necessary, it is helpful for TAs to have previous experience at Pilchuck. For more about teaching assistant positions, click here. Artist Assistants The primary role of an AA is to support the creative efforts of the artist in residence and act as a technical resource while they explore many ways of working with glass. AAs also support Pilchuck’s unique educational and artistic community through whole-hearted participation in summer program activities and goals. Successful candidates would have great project planning and time management skills, be proactive, and enjoy problem solving. All AAs must have extensive studio experience in various processes, interest in collaboration, and previous experience at Pilchuck. For more about the artist assistant position, click here. Seasonal Staff & Campus Assistants (Applications due February 3, 2016) Seasonal staff and campus assistants provide integral support to Pilchuck’s educational program and ensure that the campus runs smoothly. Seasonal staff positions are paid and require specialized skill sets and the ability to perform in a leadership capacity. Staff members play key roles in campus operations, including coordinating studios and overseeing campus assistants. Candidates should have extensive technical knowledge related to the position for which they are applying, excellent communication skills, and a readiness to be flexible based on program needs. In addition to a salary, Pilchuck provides housing, meals, some studio access, and the opportunity to occasionally sit in on lectures and demonstrations. International applicants for seasonal staff positions must be eligible to work in the United States. For more about the seasonal staff and campus assistant positions, click here. To apply for any of these jobs, click here.
From Arrowmont: a photo contest.
Here's your opportunity to share your Arrowmont Experience with the world! We want your best photographs that reflect your time at Arrowmont – whether it's in the studio, around campus, in the park or after hours. You can submit limitless photos for the chance to win the grand prize. A winner will be chosen in November 2016 and announced by January 31, 2017. Click here for instructions on how to enter. The photo at right is by 2015 winner Maggie Helton. From Haystack: a free Open Studio Residency Haystack’s Open Studio Residency provides two weeks of studio time and an opportunity to work in a supportive community of makers. The program accommodates approximately 50 participants—from the craft field and other creative disciplines—who will have uninterrupted time to work in six studios studios (ceramics, fiber, graphics, iron, jewelry, and wood) to develop ideas and experiment in various media. Participants can choose to work in one particular studio or move among studios depending on the nature of their work. All of the studios will be staffed by technicians who can assist with projects. Click here to read more about the residency, and click here if you're ready to apply. From Penland: Jobs and Internships Studio Equipment Maintenance Technician Baker/Prep Cook Prep Cook I-AM Community Collaborations Intern Spring 2016 (Teaching Artist Initiative) Benefit Auction Intern Summer 2016 Community Collaboration Kids Camp Intern Summer 2016 Development Intern Summer 2016 Print, Letterpress, Books, and Papermaking Studio Intern Summer 2016 Textiles and Drawing/Painting Studio Intern Summer 2016 Gallery & Visitors Center Digital Media Intern Summer 2016 From Pilchuck: Teaching and Artist Assistant Positions Pilchuck teaching assistants (TAs) and artist assistants (AAs) play essential roles in the summer program by supporting the vision and goals of instructors and artists in residence and participating in a leadership capacity. All assistants must have extensive studio experience and an interest in collaboration. Successful candidates would have great project planning and time management skills, be proactive, and enjoy problem solving. Applications for TA and AA positions are due February 3, 2016. Click here to apply. From Peters Valley: the Juried Exhibition Maker Moxie! Craft schools provide experiences that are thought-provoking, inspiring, and often transformative. This exhibition highlights those personal skilled gained, inspirations, achievements and stories through text and objects. We embrace the stories and work by people who have studied at one or more of these schools; the outcome of their inspiration and the narratives that go along with their experiences. How has an immersion learning experience changed you? How did it affect your artistic practice? Click here to apply.
Our partner the Peters Valley School of Craft is accepting applications now to its exhibition series "'Maker Moxie': The Impact of the Craft School Experience."
They write: "Craft schools provide experiences that are thought-provoking, inspiring, and often transformative. This exhibition highlights those personal skilled gained, inspirations, achievements and stories through text and objects. We embrace the stories and work by people who have studied at one or more of these schools; the outcome of their inspiration and the narratives that go along with their experiences. How has an immersion learning experience changed you? How did it affect your artistic practice?" Artists who have learned at one of our excellent Craft schools are encouraged to apply here by February 15! You can also apply here for the Peters Valley annual Juried Fine Craft Fair. You can find out more about Peters Valleys workshops for adults and youth here. |
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August 2018
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