Program Design

The Summervail Workshop provided a unique opportunity for intensive study in studio and applied arts. Workshop instruction was the core of the student's day.

The Summervail Workshop provided a unique opportunity for intensive study in studio and applied arts. Workshop instruction was the core of the student's day. While scheduled instruction was scheduled as Monday-Friday from 9:00am - 4:00pm, many of the studios were open 24/7 with instructors and studio managers available to assist the students. Students were encouraged to spend as much time in the studios and additional events as possible. Special activities included lectures, slide shows, gallery exhibits, and discussion groups. The Summervail faculty was made up of practicing studio artists and they taught from a practical, yet creative, perspective.

The Summervail Workshop had a simple program design of one week workshops in the fine and applied arts. Additionally, children’s art classes, symposia, lectures, slide shows, panel discussions, and informal discussion sessions occurred regularly.

The goal of the workshop was to instill the importance of critical thought process into everyone involved, including both faculty and students. The unique curriculum was designed to be non-departmentalized, as much as was practical. Instructors, students, and visiting artists were encouraged to share ideas and investigate techniques and methods between curricular areas and between media, the notion was stressed repeatedly that concept and craft were equally important; that fine arts share a common ground; that hard work was the ultimate and only reliable means for success on a continuing basis. Everyone was encouraged to argue, participate, work, and share.

The workshop was designed to offer maximum advantages in the three most important aspects of art production; physical resources and equipment, human resources and expertise, and spiritual and philosophical surroundings.