Program Reviews

Student: What an amazing experience this (past) summer was. I had so much fun and learned so many art techniques through all the mediums we explored. Everyone was wonderful: welcoming and supportive. I felt truly included and immersed in the experience. The atmosphere of the studio is so accepting and inspires wonderful creativity. And the day trips were such a blast. So many great memories! Thank you Rosie & Frank and all our wonderful mentors. L.K. (age 15)

Parent: Cow House was impressively, everything it was cracked up to be. Very professional from the start: no-nonsense, extremely well organized, impressive credentials. All this with a local, non-pretentious vibe. A great value for the tuition, in our opinion. The art program was top notch, with lots of support from both the Studio and visiting artists. Food was local and homemade, students were included in the daily chores, had goal-setting and great supervision (some muttering about phones) and were even escorted to various towns and venues for weekend outings. This was our student's first foray abroad without her family: it was perfect. We felt she was safe, cared for, productive, and having a LOT fun. Highly recommended.

Cow House Art on the Farm was one of the most joyous and formative experiences of my life. I loved every second I was at Cow House, spending whole days in the fantastic dark room, exploring the magical forest, eating Caitriona's food (the most delicious I've ever tasted), swimming in the icy cold pond, and spending time with some of my favorite people in the world. I think I laughed more than I ever have in a month, during my time at Art and the Farm. Frank, Rosie, Róisín, and the rest of the staff were incredibly kind, compassionate, enthusiastic, and supportive in every moment. With their help and example, I thoroughly grew as an artist and as a person. I continue to be inspired by their generosity and artistic expertise in my daily life and I hope that many young artists have the same opportunity to experience the beauty and bliss of Cow House Studios.

CowHouse Art on the Farm has changed my life all for the better. The whole team really showed me just how beautiful life can be. For an entire month, I was surrounded by the loveliest people who are now life long friends, the most impressive landscapes, and incredible art. The food left me feeling healthier than I have ever felt before, and I made memories I will never forget. My love for art is deeper than it ever has been, and the experience left me confident in pursuing a BFA in college. Overall, cowhouse was one of the sweetest times of my life, and it was the most connected to others and myself I had ever been.

I originally went to the program because my mom really encouraged me to go, I was a little hesitant about the no phones, I was sad to not get a last summer with my senior friends, and I it seemed to expensive for me. I went anyway, and I really did fall in love, and I even fell in love with art again. I live a busy life and being given the opportunity to focus on nothing but art let me grow in unimaginable ways. I also met the most amazing people that I still talk with today. I definitely recommend, even if your scared, to still do it.

The Art on the Farm summer 2024 program was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve had in my life and I’ll forever cherish all the memories and different things I was able to do while I was there.
To be in an environment where I had so much time to work on my art, and was surrounded by others with the same passion for it, was an amazing opportunity that only made my love for art grow even more. I was constantly learning new things, and trying out different ways of making and thinking about art that I had not before. This would not have been the same without the incredible support we had from Rosie, Frank, and the other artists on site, who had so much experience and knowledge to pass on. I am so grateful for their incredible hard work to go out of their way to make the program truly special, and for being inspiring mentors to us all.
Not only did I grow as an artist, but as a person too. While going to a new place with no one you know can be stressful at first, CowHouse was extremely welcoming and I soon felt comfortable and excited to know everyone. The connections I built with friends while I was there will forever stay with me.
The location itself was also great, and I loved going on walks to explore the beautiful nature we were surrounded by. In the program, we were able to visit famous sites, art exhibitions of Irish artists, and get to know Dublin. These excursions were really well balanced with the calm space around Cowhouse, whose beautiful setting, and nature, further helped me to create art without the distractions of busy, everyday life, and also inspired my artworks.
I really recommend this to anyone who loves art regardless of how much or little experience they are coming in with. Even if you are worried at first about being in a new place, with new people, like I was, Cowhouse quickly begins to feel like a home and time goes by so fast that you wish you could do it all over again.

The time I spent on the farm during Cowhouse’s gap year program was an invaluable experience for me as an artist. Not only was the area absolutely gorgeous but I also met such wildly talented and lovely people that I can call friends for life. Frank and Rosie are extremely supportive and knowledgeable and the facilities are amazing; their advice helped advance my practice massively. They made sure there was always an abundance of activities to partake in. I also can’t forget to mention Caitriona’s amazing cooking! A highlight for me was helping her make a sticky toffee pudding one evening. I cannot express how much I loved my time on the farm and two years on I still think about it most days!

I am writing this review on behalf of my daughter who attended the program in the Summer of 2023. They had an absolutely amazing time and learned so many valuable lessons about art and about Ireland! They also still talk about how delicious the food was and how much they liked the people and the instruction. I think it was a real confidence builder for them to go off on this program and discover new things. They are using a number of pieces from this experience in their college art portfolio and I believe this experience helped them with their high level of success on their AP exam in Art & Design as well. This experience helped advance their painting skills but also sparked a new love of photography as well.

Our daughter was a participant in the Art on the Farm Summer, 2023 program. This was her first solo overseas travel, and, understandably, we were anxious about what the experience might hold for her. From the minute she arrived at the Dublin airport and was met by Frank, there was a palpable joy in her voice. The natural beauty of the farm coupled with the warm, welcoming presence of the staff created a space for the participants to grow as artists, as individuals and as a group of like minded creative spirits who celebrated one another as if they had be lifelong friends. Their connection was so evident when we arrived to pick our daughter up at the farm and we saw the participants, now friends, hugging and crying as they had to leave one another. They are still connected via social media and are still celebrating one another's artistic accomplishments, among other things. Our daughter discovered parts of herself as a traveler, an artist, a friend, a thinker, an explorer and a daredevil. She was transformed by her time at Cow House and is now seriously considering returning for the gap program in Fall, 2025. If you are seeking a truly unique and impactful experience for your young artist, Art on the Farm is the program for you.

I couldn't have imagined a better experience for my daughter. She had an incredible experience - from accommodations, to food, to friends, to the people who work at Cow House (and even the animals on the farm!). There were no negatives from her perspective and she came back with some incredible pieces that she had created over the summer.

For me, I felt comfortable the entire time. Everything was clear from the application process, to travel, to the time at Cow House. They were communicative and responsive. It was wonderful that I didn't have to worry about anything (this was her first time away from home and overseas) and it was a smooth, worry-free experience. Recommended without reservation!

One of the best things in this program, besides the wonderful facilities, staff, and teachers, was the accessibility to nature. My program was photography and Frank supported me even when doubting myself. All of the instructors were available to me during my stay there.
I enjoyed our day trips and exploring the surroundings on the farm.
Everything in this program is geared towards artistic and personal development.
I highly recommend this program to artists who want to expand their knowledge and get to know themselves more artistically.