In a region like West Michigan, where art and nature often mix harmoniously, there probably isn’t a place quite like the Oxbow yet. This art school and artist residency is located on a 100-year-old historic campus nestled between the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan in Saugatuck, offering a stunningly serene nature experience for your next outdoor art excursion To do.
“The Oxbow experience is very different from taking classes in a community center or on-site art center, because the environment is simply amazing,” said Oxbow Executive Director Shannon Stratton. . “It’s a beautiful campus on the tip of a peninsula. We’re perched on top of a protected dune ecosystem. It’s the perfect place to get inspired and make art.”
Because Oxbow classes earn college credit, many students make it a habit to attend the workshop series every summer. These programs are highly prestigious and bring professional artists from around the world to campus to share their knowledge and talent. Given Oxbow’s original history as a retreat for Chicago-area artists more than a century ago, it’s great to see that the school continues to serve as a haven for artists and art lovers today. It’s a fulfilling feeling to see.
“We are primarily an art school, which means we serve artists from various stages of their creative journey,” Stratton said. “But we try to create spaces of engagement where the public can participate and be present on our campus.”
And now, just in time for October’s spooky season, a slew of new events are being held through Ox-Bow’s unique fall-themed art program, Ox-tober. Whether participating in the “Ox-Bow Family Goes to Heck” family day or participating in the “Pop-Up on the Porches” art sale, guests will enjoy visiting the campus’ historic main building and visiting the Crow’s Nest. You can explore the surrounding hiking trails, including: It offers beautiful views of Lake Michigan and the nearby sand dunes. Pop-up His Market also includes a cash bar, so guests are encouraged to enjoy refreshments while exploring the collection of original jewelry, pottery, drawings, and paintings available for purchase from local artists.
“We have a very diverse group of artists,” Stratton said. “We’re all on campus together during that period.”
These upcoming Oxbow events, which include a rotating workshop series featuring classes such as wood-fired pottery and broom-making for witches, trace Saugatuck’s long history of education and apprenticeship for artists. Since the 1870s and his 1880s, when the Oxbow Inn was first built, visitors have always stayed on this property with the desire to get away from it all, to be alone with their creative spirit and voice. I’ve been concentrating. This concept continues through Ox-Bow’s Summer Artist Staff and University Fellows, all of whom work part-time at Ox-Bow and take advantage of the facility’s expansive studio space and resources. I am. Artists-in-residence stay for a short period of time (approximately three weeks) and continue their work while learning about Oxbow and the broader Saugatuck community.
“The Oxbow has been a crossroads for American art and artists for more than a century,” Stratton said. “This is a very interesting story to tell: the importance that the Midwest has played in the larger story of American art and the people who have passed through the Oxbow.”
Part of that story is the tremendous influence women have had not only on the Oxbow School of Art, but on the national stage of American art as a whole. That history is proudly on display as part of Stratton’s newest exhibit. she started it, at the organization’s Douglas location just a few miles south of campus. The store, Ox-Bow House, is a community-centered hub for art supplies, archived photographs and artwork, and themed attractions. she started it.
“There have been a lot of really important leaders who were women in the history of the organization,” Stratton said. “Perhaps they shouldn’t have been considered ‘ahead of their time,’ but in the context in which they found themselves, they were truly remarkable advances for female artists.”
Coinciding with the Douglas Halloween Parade, Oxbow’s Cavern Tavern party will also be held at the Oxbow House on October 28th, and is a must-see for those with a passion for the holiday. As the store continues to grow and local programming expands, Stratton looks forward to welcoming visitors and artists from around the world both on the main campus and at this location in Douglas.
“We’re 113 years old and we’re still West Michigan’s best-kept secret,” Stratton said. “We wanted to find a way to do something in the community and make it more accessible.”
The winter market, featuring primarily Michigan artists along with Oxbow alumni, also begins Thanksgiving weekend and continues through the end of the students’ fall semester. So whether you’re looking for an early holiday gift, a family-friendly Halloween experience, or an entry-level artist’s workshop, take a look at what Ox-tober has to offer at ox-bow.org/oxtober.
“Oxbows are an incredible part of America’s artistic heritage, especially in the Midwest,” Stratton said. “Join us in the magic in the way that interests you most.”
oxbow art school
3435 Rupprecht Way, Saugatuck
ox-bow.org