Magical Summer!

I spent the summer after my Junior year of high school at Cow House Studios with Frank & Rosie. I was fifteen - this was more than ten years ago! That summer taught me so much, and I had so much fun during the process! I experimented with oil paints for the first time and realized I wanted to pursue painting seriously (I went on to major in Fine Arts at university and am now at an artist’s residency in Finland). I also got to experiment with other forms of art making that I had never considered (such as cyanotypes) and, while I was pushed out of my comfort zone, I was also in the most spectacular setting (surrounded by nature! in Ireland!) so I never felt overwhelmed.

When I think back at my time spent at Cow House, it sometimes feels like a dream. The setting is idyllic - lush green grass, a lake, beautiful old trees. Every morning we had amazing freshly baked breads and pastries, rustic jams and nutella. Some nights we would sit crammed on a couch talking until the sky lightened and the birds woke up.

Over the course of six weeks we all were able to explore a variety of mediums from printmaking to oil painting to sculpture to photography. Frank and Rosie are amazing human beings and wonderful teachers. They are both kind and patient and learning from them was really a joy. The summer I was there, Jenny & Matt (who both studied at RISD) were also teaching, as well as a sculptor named Darragh Casey, so the teacher-to-student ratio was great. I always felt like there were people I could talk to if I needed help or further instruction or inspiration, and I truly learned a lot.

I had an incredibly incredibly fun and rewarding experience, and one which I also made lifelong friendships. Cow House Studio is an amazing, magical place and I cannot recommend it more.