Oxford

Oxford in the spring is also becoming more of a solid plan. Most of the forms are in now, and i am planning out my schedule while i'm there, which, of course sounds much more tedious than Italy. haha. However Craig and I have made plans to stay with the english aunt of a friend of ours. A retired illustration commissioner, she lives in a little village north of Oxford where there is literally only 200 people. It will be a nice reprieve from the head down workload we will be getting in Oxford. Our one other semi-plan is to take the ferry over to the coast of Ireland, where we have friends from the U.S. staying. The classes at oxford sound work intensive but worth it... and from what i've heard from students who have been there in the past, they are.

here are the course descriptions of the classes i will be taking:

"Renaissance to Enlightenment
There are fortnightly lectures during the first ten weeks of term which trace the breakdown of the medieval world view and the emergence of the Renaissance. These prepare students for colloquium, and for the lectures and field trips during the final four weeks of semester. We consider the contribution of Renaissance artists, scholars and humanists whose ideas inaugurated a new era of European civilization. Attention turns next to the impact of the Reformation on European society, philosophy, religion and culture, and to the revolutionary changes that ensued in England in the seventeenth century. Finally, we look at the ‘Augustan Age’, that period of new stability, discovery and expansion that profoundly influenced the shape of the modern world. Lectures are supplemented by colloquium sessions and field trips, and the course is assessed by an examination and an essay."

" Drawing in the Museums
This course draws its central inspiration from the view that the process of learning to see and draw begins by studying the art and artefacts of the past. Linked to this strategic interpretation of learning how to ‘see’ is the important historical record which shows how the surviving artefacts of a culture provide evidence of the ways in which that culture understood the world. Students are taught practical drawing and watercolour painting skills and acquire an art-historical grounding through visits to art and natural history museums in Oxford, an experience that culminates in a portfolio of artworks and writing investigating the connections between art and the wider ideas of a culture. No previous experience with art is required. The course brings out the importance of the relationship between art and ideas, and the connection between theory and methodology. "


"Poetry.
For those wanting to write poetry, concentrating on the production of poetry in as many traditional metres and forms as possible. "

"Art of the Garden.
This course studies the history of gardens and parks in Europe from the Middle Ages to the early 19th century. Topics include: castle gardens, monasteries and colleges; Physick and Botanic gardens; the formal park; the classical style of the 18th century; the English tradition of Brown and Rept"


Things to look forward to about the UK:
ACCENTS
Gardens
Big Ben
OXFORD
good beer
New museums
Becoming a better writer