Curriculum
At Cow House Studios we teach drawing, painting and photography through expertly guided classes and rigourous studio practice. Our curriculum is centred around research, experimentation and critical thinking, complimented by practical demonstrations and workshops to advance technical knowledge. Each student documents the evolution of their work by recording ideas through sketches, research from trips and problem solving. Group critiques and individual tutorials form an integral part of our programme, as students gain confidence and self-awareness in discussing their artwork. Furthermore, lectures and gallery visits introduce students to various artists working in relevant media, giving context to student’s work and further informing their own practice. We encourage a multidisciplinary approach, which includes exploring an idea or theme through a variety of materials, processes and media.At the core of our curriculum is drawing. Each day begins with a lesson exploring the themes of light, space, colour and movement, which may then be applied to any creative process. During the first few days of the three-week programme, students participate in collaborative projects based on the work of specific artists. This enables the group to get to know each other while introducing them to important contemporary art. Weeks One and Two involve intensive classes in painting, drawing and photography , as well as projects directed by themes relating to Ireland. In the third week, everyone works on their own final project using their medium/s of preference.
Our small class size and intimate setting allow us to approach our curriculum with great flexibility. Our students come to us with diverse backgrounds: some have used oil paints, while others are familiar with developing prints in the darkroom. Some students come to us having had very little practice in the art room, but with a great desire to improve their artistic practice. This spectrum of interests and experience creates an interesting dynamic and great opportunity for new possibilities of creative expression. Whatever your experience, we are committed to helping students develop new skills, and build upon the talents they already have.
Sample workshops, lectures & classes:
making a cyanotypeintroduction to printing in the darkroom
lecture on the history of photography
introduction to oil painting
building and stretching a canvas
two day life drawing session
workshop on colour theory
lecture on the tools and processes of painting and drawing
digital manipulation in Adobe Photoshop
lectures by local artists