Karen Woodman - Memphis, Tennessee Dutch people are very friendly. And they paint too. Both of which were great as Kampen is a small place. I have just returned from a four month stay in the Netherlands where I painted at Canstantijn Huygens School of Fine and Performing Arts. Constantijn Huygens is in Kampen which is located on the Issel River about one and a half hours north of Amsterdam. Al- though Dutch is the language spoken most, people speak at least a little English and most students speak English fluently. Classes were pretty much unstructured with the majority of time being spent in one’s studio space. Instructors would speak to us individually as well as meeting with us as a group but it was less formal than at Emily Carr. Different disciplines merged together more as painting stu- dents were permitted and even encour- aged to use the printmaking and photog- raphy facilities. Printmaking instructors met with students as well. The lesser structure that I perceived was good and bad. In the first week there I wrote in my journal, “Lack of school struc- ture. Not like I want a lot but some.” But then, “If I’m not going to have structure quit wasting time. Just get on with it and paint.” The first couple of weeks were strange as being out of familiar surround- ing I wondered how I was going to paint. But I actually learned a lot about self discipline. I also learned about or experi- enced more freedom, freedom both from myself as well as from others. The lan- guage barrier may have played a part with this as well. Okay, just a couple more things about the school. My studio space was bigger than Emily Carr. However, the school hours were bad. Only open Monday through Friday, the school closed at 5:30 PM three nights a week and 9:30 PM on the other two. However, I found that if one can maintain the discipline to really use the open hours it was sufficient. And it was a great excuse to travel on the weekends. Finally, as the school has a Christian name I wondered what to expect. In the time I was there I did not experience any indica- tion that it was any more or any less religious than any other school I have ever attended. I am just flipping through my journal now to see what my mind was thinking and will write some of my thoughts: 9/12 - Why do we bore ourselves? -9/13 - Automatic activity, automatic - thinking, automatic relating. 9/14 - Maybe I am battling out something that is unnecessary. 9/18 - All I can control are my choices 9/19 - Look at the way they paint. It’s freer. My way is starting to bore me. 9/21 - No one shows their vulnerability? 9/22 - Art isn’t real life. So what, it gets me there. 9/25 - Funny how in circles things really do go. 10/4 - The life in my head doesn’t exist. Only this moment. 10/26 - It sometimes seems when traveling alone that one isn’t really par- ticipating but merely observing. 11/8 - Just keep doing it, just stay in- volved with it, live it as you do it, concen- trate don’t let others interrupt that. 11/14 - The only difference between most and those who do is that those who do, do. 11/17 - Someone else’s quote - “ If our thoughts cause us to be miserable, the solution is not to stop thinking.” 12/6 - Death can separate. Distance cannot. 12/10 - Where the hell am I going? 12/12 - Two very young Moroccan boys playing seventies love songs onan —_an- cient tape deck on the train. There’s a memory. 12/15 - I’ve never before slept in such an open space. I’ve never before seen the moon set. Okay, so how was it all valuable? I think that becoming part of another school was a gift. I think that any school system cannot help but form its students in cer- tain ways (or maybe it’s the students can’t help but be formed by the school system). Anyway, I think that by experiencing a foreign school system one receives a useful balance. While there, I learned something about freedom. We often seem to enclose ourselves and I think that by putting oneself into another cultureis one _way to learn to open that up. Conversa- tions with and comments from instructors were very beneficial. I think their per- spective is slightly different and I find their questions and comments very useful in helping me to analyze and move for- ward in my work. The teachers and stu- dents were all very friendly and seemed to go to great effort to make my stay a really enjoyable one. I was made to feel as part of the school and student life almost immediately. Finally, the location is great. I was able to spend a week in Berlin and then a week in Paris on the fall break as well a many weekend trips around the Netherlands. In December I was also able to get to Morocco. Over all, I would say it was a very positive experience. If anyone is thinking of applying to attend Constantijn Huygens I would happy to try to answer any questions that you might have. Article by Heather Gatz eee Karen Woodman - Memphis, Tennessee Dutch people are very friendly. ‘And they paint too. Both of which were great as Kampen is a small place. I have just returned from a four month stay in the Netherlands where I painted at Canstantijn Huygens School of Fine and Performing Arts. Constantijn Huygens is in Kampen which is located on the Issel River about one and a half hours north of Amsterdam. Al- though Dutch is the language spoken most, people speak at least a little English and most students speak English fluently. Classes were pretty much unstructured with the majority of time being spent in one’s studio space. Instructors would speak to us individually as well as meeting with us as a group but it was less formal than at Emily Carr. Different disciplines merged together more as painting stu- dents were permitted and even encour- aged to use the printmaking and photog- raphy facilities. Printmaking instructors met with students as well. The lesser structure that I perceived was good and bad. In the first week there I wrote in my journal, “Lack of school struc- ture. Not like I want a lot but some.” But then, “If I'm not going to have structure quit wasting time. Just get on with it and paint.” The first couple of weeks were strange as being out of familiar surround- ing I wondered how I was going to paint. But I actually learned a lot about self discipline. [also learned about or experi- enced more freedom, freedom both from myself as well as from others. The lan- guage barrier may have played a part with this as well, Okay, just a couple more things about the school. My studio space was bigger than Emily Carr. However, the school hours were bad. Only open Monday through Friday, the school closed at 5:30 PM three nights a week and 9:30 PM on the other two. However, I found that if one can mainfain the discipline toreally use the open hours it was sufficient. And it was a great excuse to travel on the weekends. ally, as the school has a Christian name T wondered what to expect. In the time ‘was there I did not experience any indic: tion that it was any more or any less religious than any other school I haye ever attended. Lam just flipping through my journal now to see what my mind was thinking and will write some of my thoughts: 9/12 - Why do we bore ourselves? 9/13 - Automatic activity, automatic thinking, automatic relating. 9/14 - Maybe I am battling out something that is unnecessary. 9/18 - All [can control are my choices 9/19 - Look at the way they paint. It's freer. My way is starting to bore me. 9/21 - No one shows their vulnerability? 9/22 - Art isn’t real life. So what, it gets me there. 9/25 - Funny how in circles things really do go. 10/4 - The life in my head doesn’t exist. Only this moment. 10/26 - It sometimes seems when traveling alone that one isn’t really par- ticipating but merely observing. 11/8 - Just keep doing it, just stay in- volved with it, live it as you do it, concen- trate don’t let others interrupt that. 11/14 - The only difference between most and those who do is that those who do, do. 11/17 - Someone else’s quote - “ If our thoughts cause us to be miserable, the solution is not to stop thinking.” 12/6 - Death can separate. Distance cannot. 12/10 - Where the hell am I going? 12/12 - Two very young Moroccan boys playing seventies iove songs on an an- cient tape deck on the train. There's a memory. 12/15 - I've never before slept in such an open space. I've never before seen the moon set Okay, so how was it all valuable? I think that becoming part of another school was a gift. I think that any school system ‘cannot help but form its students in cer- tain ways (or maybe it’s the students can’t help but be formed by the school system). ‘Anyway, I think that by experiencing a foreign School system one receives a usefull balance. While there, | learned something about freedom. We often seem to enclose ourselves and I think that by putting oneself into another culture is one way to learn to open that up. Conversa- tions with and comments from instructors were very beneficial. I think their per- spective is slightly different and I find their questions and comments very useful in helping me to analyze and move for- ward in my work. The teachers and stu- dents were all very friendly and seemed to go to great effort to make my stay a really enjoyable one. I was made to feel as part of the school and student life almost immediately. Finally, the location is great. [was able to spend a week in Berlin and then a week in Paris on the fall break as ‘well a many weekend trips around the Netherlands. In December I was also able to get to Morocco. Over all, I would say it was a very positive experience. If anyone is thinking of applying to attend Constantijn Huygens { would happy to try to answer any questions that you might have. ‘Article by Heather Gatz