Today, I find myself in the beautiful NorthEast Kingdom, to be specific, just outside the village of Barton in northern Vermont, looking out over the incredible horizon dominated by Jay Peak in the distance.  My broken ankle has proved a blessing in some ways.  It’s forced me to take on a more measured pace, for one thing.

/
/

In this retreat-like setting, I have been thinking of my education as an artist. I’ve been deeply influenced by The Art Spirit by Robert Henri.  A font of inspiring philosophy and practical counsel, he advises that regardless of the quality of the school, artists’ educations are, at base, in their own hand.  Basically all education must be self-taught.

/
/

This is deeply reassuring since so far, I’ve been largely self-taught.  I’ve read a number of books and have taken some courses at the Delray Beach Cultural Center, including basic and landscape drawing.  I found the outdoor class to be most beneficial.  One of the primary benefits was the opportunity to work with other artists and to get feedback from Ralph Papa, a fine artist and dedicated educator.

/
/

Another book I’ve been reading is Juliette Aristide’s Classical Drawing Atelier.  She discusses the resurgence of the classical tradition of  students going into the studio of a successful artist and “learning from the hand of a master.”  However, while I find the philosophy attractive, it doesn’t seem something that I can do in the here and now.  It must have been wonderful for a Venetian youth, but I’m a married American woman.  It’s just not practical.  Taking courses or having the opportunity to be in a studio seems to be much more “do-able.”  This has led me to explore artist’s residencies.  Indeed one of the reasons for this trip was to visit the Vermont Studio Center, which is less than an hour’s drive from where we are staying.

/
/

The Center offers four-or-more week residencies for visual artists and writers and is the largest artist-in-residence program in the country.   The founders’ original hope was for a few summer residencies, but now they host upward of 50 residents a week and 600 a year.  A single fee includes room and board in a semi-retreat-like setting with a private, 24-hour-a-day studio.  What seems most valuable to me is the opportunity to interact with the many other artists-in-residence as well as the many visiting artists.  They have a burgeoning calendar of well-known artists who give talks and consult with the students.

/
/

When we visited the Studio Center, the experience really reverberated with me.  Both staff and temporary residents seemed very happy and relaxed and were certainly very welcoming.   We were shown some of the galleries and visited the communal dining hall.

/
/

The Center has taken over much of what was “down-town” Johnson.  Beginning with an old mill, 25 years ago, a husband-wife team of an architect and a painter expanded through both what were private and public buildings while retaining the rural Vermont ambiance.  For example, when the town replaced the aging fire station with a newer one, the original one, underwent a renaissance as “The Fire Station Studio.”  The town just bustles with artistic energy.  Adding to this delightful atmosphere is a plethora of outside art and sculpture in almost every park and open-space.

/
/

This was an inspiring visit for me, particularly because John and I have spoken often about escaping the boiler-room heat and humidity of Florida’s summer.  I will certainly be applying for next year’s admissions. Also because Johnson State College is nearby, I’ll be looking forward to interacting with the students and faculty there.  I hold a B.S. and an M.S. in the sciences so I’m certainly a fan of formal education and have occasionally considered an M.F.A., one of which is offered by JSC.  However, for now, The Center seems to offer just for what I’m looking.

/
/

A lovely drive over scenic roads, wonderful welcoming people and a glimpse at an artistic heaven, a perfect day.