OX-BOW

OX-BOW WAS FOUNDED IN 1910 AND OPERATES AN ART SCHOOL, INCLUDING ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCY PROGRAMS, AND OWNS THE NECESSARY PROPERTY AND BUILDINGS TO CONDUCT THE SAME. OX-BOW'S PURPOSE IS TO CONNECT ARTISTS TO A NETWORK OF CREATIVE PEOPLE, RESOURCES AND IDEAS TO AN ENERGIZING NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND, TO A RICH ARTISTIC HISTORY AND TO A VITAL FUTURE. OX-BOW RECOGNIZES ARTISTS ARE VISIONARIES: THEY CREATE NEW POSSIBILITIES, ADVANCE CULTURE, AND ENABLE OTHERS TO IMAGINE THE UNIMAGINABLE. OUR SCHOOL AND RESIDENCY ARE PROGRAMMED TO SUPPORT AND BUILD ON THOSE SKILLS BY PROVIDING ARTISTS AT ALL STAGES IN THEIR ARTISTIC JOURNEY ACCESS TO A RANGE OF PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, ONLINE AND IN PERSON. AT OX-BOW, A NOURISHED LIFE INCLUDES CONVERSATION, RIGOR, PLAYFULNESS, EXPERIENCING NATURE, IMMERSION INTO A CREATIVE CONTEXT, AND COMMUNALLY ENJOYING DELICIOUS, HEALTHY MEALS. OX-BOW'S STRENGTH IS DRAWN FROM HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SAUGATUCK/DOUGLAS COMMUNITY, THE SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, PARTNERS SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS AND SUPPORTERS. OX-BOW BELIEVES EXPERIENCING A FLOURISHING NATURAL WORLD INVIGORATES A SENSE OF AWE AND CURIOSITY THAT ENABLES THE CREATIVE SPIRIT. CURRENTLY, OX-BOW'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS MADE UP OF 13 INDIVIDUALS. THEIR BACKGROUNDS AND SKILLSETS PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO LAW, ARCHITECTURE, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND THE ARTS, WITH 2 MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO. THE BOARD IS PASSIONATE ABOUT OX-BOW AND GOVERNS THE ORGANIZATION ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS. THE BOARD ANNUALLY CULTIVATES 2 NEW MEMBERS TO GROW THE BOARD, WITH THE GOAL OF REACHING A COHORT OF 18 MEMBERS. INTEGRAL TO THE OX-BOW EXPERIENCE ARE THE DEDICATED STAFF WHO HELP DEFINE THE CHARACTER OF THE ORGANIZATION. OX-BOW HAS BEEN LARGELY ARTIST RUN FOR THE LAST 112 YEARS, WHICH INFUSES THE LEADERSHIP, MAIN OFFICE, KITCHEN, MAINTENANCE, AND HOUSEKEEPING WITH A CREATIVE AND PLAYFUL SENSIBILITY. OX-BOW'S CLASSES ARE TAUGHT BY LOCAL, NATIONAL, OR INTERNATIONAL RENOWNED AND DISTINGUISHED ARTISTS. IN 2023 OX-BOW OPENED UP ENROLLMENT CAPACITY AFTER 2 YEARS OF RESTRICTED CLASS SIZES TO MITIGATE COVID SPREAD. WE CONTINUED TO ADJUST TO THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THE PANDEMIC, INCLUDING A HIGHER LIVING WAGE, INFLATION ACROSS OUR OPERATIONS COSTS, STAGNANT ENROLLMENT AND PATRON ATTRITION. FOLLOWING THE TRENDS OTHER NONPROFITS AND SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIENCING, THESE EXAMPLES WERE ON TREND BUT SHOWED STEADY, BUT INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENT. HIRING EXPERIENCED, DEDICATED STAFF REMAINED A CHALLENGE AS THE WORKFORCE CONTINUED TO CORRECT ITSELF POST-PANDEMIC. OVERALL, OX-BOW CONTINUES TO OFFER A TWO-WEEK IN-PERSON INTENSIVE IN JANUARY AND 10-WEEKS OF IN-PERSON LEARNING FROM JUNE-AUGUST. THESE CLASSES ARE OFFERED FOR BOTH CREDIT AND NONCREDIT, WITH THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS COMING FROM THE SCHOOL OF ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO WITH WHOM WE HAVE AN ONGOING PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. OX-BOW'S SUMMER AND FALL WORKSHOP SERIES, ART ON THE MEADOW, OFFERS DAY WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER FOR CHILDREN, TEENS AND ADULTS. THIS PROGRAM IS A WAY FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS AND SHORT TERM VISITORS TO ENGAGE IN LIFE AND ARTMAKING AT OX-BOW. CLASSES ARE TIMED TO GIVE PARTICIPANTS CONCENTRATED STUDIO TIME, WHILE STILL ALLOWING FOR THE FLEXIBILITY THAT BUSY SUMMER AND YEAR ROUND SCHEDULES REQUIRE. OUR RESIDENCY PROGRAMS OFFER ARTISTS AND WRITERS, AT VARIOUS STAGES IN THEIR CAREER, THE TIME, SPACE, AND COMMUNITY TO ENCOURAGE GROWTH AND EXPERIMENTATION IN THEIR PRACTICE. RESIDENTS JOIN OX-BOW'S COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WOVEN INTO OUR CAMPUS ALONGSIDE STUDENTS, FELLOWS, FACULTY AND STAFF FOR PERIODS OF 2 WEEKS UP TO 1 MONTH. THE SELECTION PROCESS CONSISTS OF AN ONLINE APPLICATION REVIEW FOLLOWED BY AN IN PERSON PANEL MEETING FOCUSING ON THE MERIT OF THE APPLICANT'S WORK AS WELL AS RESPONSES TO THE STATEMENTS OF PRACTICE, PURPOSE AND INTEREST. OX-BOW CONTINUALLY REINVENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO VISIT OUR CAMPUS WE HOST OPEN STUDIO NIGHTS AT THE END OF JUNE, JULY, AND AUGUST, "TASTE OF OX-BOW" COMMUNITY DINNERS, CABIN AND STUDIO RENTAL, PRIVATE CLASSES, OUR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN FAMILY AND ADULT EVENTS, A WINTER MARKET AT OX-BOW HOUSE THAT FEATURES REGIONAL ARTISTS, AND OTHER TALKS, DINNERS AND PROGRAMS THAT ENGAGE OUR STUDIOS AND LANDSCAPE. AS A HISTORICALLY ARTIST-RUN ORGANIZATION, OX-BOW CONTINUALLY WORKS TO BENEFIT THOSE WHOSE ARTMAKING IS A PRIMARY COMPONENT OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREER. OUR PROGRAMS SEEK TO BE A SOURCE OF BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT. OVER THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS, OX-BOW HAS WELCOMED ARTISTS FROM THE PHILIPPINES, TRINIDAD, NIGERIA, CHINA, FRANCE, SOUTH KOREA, PAKISTAN, IRAN, JAPAN, THE UK, AND CANADA. OUR NATIONAL REPRESENTATION IS EQUALLY DIVERSE, PULLING TALENTED ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. ALUMNI FROM THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM HAVE EXEMPLIFIED OX-BOW'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY AND INTENSIVE ARTMAKING, GARNERING EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITIES FOLLOWING THEIR STAY. STUDENT AND RESIDENT ALUMS HAVE GONE ON TO WORK WITH IMPORTANT CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS, AND SHOW IN MUSEUMS, INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED ART EXHIBITIONS, AND GALLERIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.