FieldWorks: Enrichment Arts Gap Year Program in Ireland

Spending 12 weeks of my life fully dedicating myself to making art was such a beautiful self-discovery process. At Cow House I had my own studio and there were many different art supplies to use and try out. Rosie and Frank were the best program directors I could've asked for—I actually felt like they were part of my family!

The best part of Cow House was spending time in the studio, lighting up the fire, going on weekly trips, having dinner at Frank and Rosie's house, and (of course) eating Caitriona's food (it reads Catrina btw… Irish names can be a bit confusing).

Cow House changed my life and made me realize that visual art is part of my essence and that I should always make time to make art.

Go Raibh Maith Agat to Cow House Studios, Rosie, Frank, Folly, Caitriona, Laurette, Rosie's parents, the boys, and to the whole cohort <3

Frank and Rosie were the nicest people to spend three months with. The space they created on the farm made everyone feel at home and allowed so much creativity in the group. The studio had every art supply you could need, and I spent my time in the darkroom where Frank helped me so much. Critiques allowed the students to get direct feedback from both Rosie, Frank and the other students, which I found to be very helpful. Caitriona makes lunch and dinner for us, and the food could not have been better, I enjoyed every single meal at Cow House! Rosie and Frank made a great group to spend time with. I ended up learning so much from the people around me and making life long friends. I would reccomend this program to anyone who loves art or is searching for something to be passionate about.

Our 18 year old daughter spent 3 months in Wexford at Cow House Studios
as part of her gap year before Cambridge. She´s always been a good
student and an eager learner. Her Cow House experience was the most
valuable preparation for her future that I can imagine. Frank and Rosie
are astute, intelligent and supportive critics. They are kind and
generous with their time and the seemingly limitless resources of the
studio. In a beautiful corner of southern Ireland, in handsomely
restored buildings, they work, they hang out, they eat (very well), they
travel, and they meet an impressive array of local artists who share
their passions and perspectives. Cata left Cow House with a very close
group of friends, pride in their progress and the work that they had all
done, and a deep affection for the people of Cow House and Ireland. I
only wish her elder siblings had known of it.

Cowhouse Studios was pivotal in the trajectory of my life as an artist, and as a human. The instructors, Frank and Rosie, work hard to create an equally encouraging and challenging community. Through gallery visits, Irish culture, meeting artists, conversations, gorgeous Irish scenery, and so much in between, I had the space and inspiration to create more than I ever had before. My passion for art grew more than I thought possible with the influence of this program, and the mentoring I received. I gained such a variety of knowledge, in studio arts, but also vision, food, culture, travel, friendship, from artists and students alike. The incredible environment helped me to realize my strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Even after I left I know I have a home with the people that surround this program. Not to mention I made some best friends here! I am a more passionate, inspired, and thankful person because of my time at Cowhouse Studios and I could not be more grateful for my experience. I recommend this place to anyone and everyone.

Going to Cow House studios was such an amazing experience. You are able to live in an environment where you can truly grow both as a person and as an artist.

The studio offers you all of the time and resources you could ever need to make art. From the amazing dark room and all of the camera equipment, to the countless tubes of paint and rolls of loose canvas, you can really execute any creative project. Rosie and Frank, the couple who run the program, are also incredibly supportive and really try to push you creatively. They are both incredibly experienced artists who can offer invaluable technical advice, all the while encouraging you to question and further develop your creative process.

I also got to meet some of the most amazing people there. It was wonderful to be able to spend so much time with people my age who are just as passionate about art. I was able to discuss my work with all of my peers and receive feed back on it that helped me develop my ideas so much further. Through these conversations we were all able to connect and from truly meaningful relationships. I will always be grateful for the people that cow house brought into my life.

The food, excursions and staff were also a major highlight. Caitriona, the chef, and Tony, a member of the staff, were both so kind to me during my time there. They are both truly wonderful people. All of the food Caitriona and Frank would make was so amazing. they would put so much thought into each meal, and I would be genuinely exited whenever it was time to eat. Because of Covid we didn't get to go all around Ireland, like some of the previous gappers, but the places we did get to see were so beautiful. We were able to go on some truly amazing hikes, and we got to visit some of the wonderful town in and around Wexford county.
I can wholeheartedly recommend Cow House for anyone looking to do a gap year, I cannot say enough good things about it.

Going into this program I really wasn't sure what to expect. I definitely thought it would be neat to be able to visit a country I had never been to before, and I was really looking forward to being able to work around other artists and develop my artistic practice further.
After spending three months there and being able to look back on everything I was able to do, and the wonderful people I was able to meet and get to know. The experience that Cow House Studios provides is an extremely unique and beautiful one at that. What it gave to me, more than anything else was the chance to grow hugely as an individual, and in such a way that I'm not sure would've happened if I hadn't gone. I certainly grew as an artist as well. The amount of art that someone can make there is almost limitless, as long as you've got the drive. They certainly provide the tools and the time for excessive art making, it was often encouraged.
Their family style approach to welcoming the people that take part in this program is amazing, and I've never felt so at home while being so far away...Haha not that I didn't miss home, I definitely did. But there's really something special about this place. Whether its the people that run it, the landscape around it or the art that gets made in it, it's all amazing and incredibly beneficial to the soul.

Everyone should come to Cow House. This is an experience like no other. My skills were furthered by excellent instruction and my heart was filled with joy every step of the way. Rosie and Frank are two of the most kindhearted people I have ever met, and have such a passion for art, that it’s contagious. Caitriona kept me laughing, and her food was absolutely incredible. Everyday brought a new challenge and new experience. If you’re an artist, this is the place to completely surround yourself in inspiration, and have the time to further your art practice. If you have the chance to go to Cow House, take it!

I can't stress enough how great the three months I spent at Cow House last fall were! I was mind blown by the location and facilities, we had access to every means of making I could've asked for and endless support from Frank, Rosie, and the visiting artists. It didn't take long to feel completely at home; the housing is so comfortable and beautiful, the food is great, and everyone on the farm is incredibly welcoming (they're also just cool people in general). The opportunity to work so closely with other students and instructors allowed me to grow in ways I didn't expect, not just as an artist but as a person, too. It was really special to get to know everyone and what they make as well as we did.
I never ran out of things to do there; when we weren't in the studio we were exploring the area, hanging out in the library (which has tons of interesting novels and artist books), or going on trips around Ireland. Frank and Rosie are great at balancing how much time we spent on the farm and how much we travelled; our day/overnight trips were frequent enough that I felt like I was always seeing new things but spaced out in such a way that we could really dig into our studio time before heading out again. Fieldworks is such a well-rounded program, and the time I spent there feels so rich with experience and growth. Frank and Rosie are amazing people + artists and I am so thankful to know them. I hope to return one day and highly recommend the program to anybody who makes any kind of art!