Marathons

The School's internationally-recognized Marathon programs were developed in 1988 by Dean Graham Nickson, initially as a measure for the rest of the semester at the start of the program year. The program has since expanded to become a core component of the School's curriculum. Meanwhile, intense outside interest led to the extension of the Marathons to a wider audience of participants outside of the full-time student body. Renowned artists, art historians, dealers, collectors,  art educators, writers, journalists and students of all levels and affiliations have since experienced the intensity of the program.

The Marathon course hours are 9:00am to 6:00pm, with a lunch break from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. In some Marathons, there may be critiques. The specific critique schedule will be determined once courses have commenced.

DRAWING/PAINTING/SCULPTURE MARATHONS:

Originally designed to address the importance of drawing as the basis of understanding one's experience in the world, the Marathons are based in an exploration of this most direct route to an enriched understanding of the language of the plastic arts. The innovation inherent in the Marathon program reawakens the way that drawing is experienced by artists and appreciators alike.

The Marathons are intensive, all-day programs that run for two weeks at the beginning of each semester and during the Summer Session. Drawing, Painting and Sculpture marathons are offered, both by full-time faculty and distinguished visiting artists, who are present for the entire session. All programs operate along the same basic model of immersing the student in their chosen discipline.

The level of commitment reached by participants during the Marathon is extraordinary. Each individual must confront the problems of drawing, painting and sculpture with vigor and intensity if they are are to show that they are equal to the fierce demands of concentration and stamina necessary for the program. Not only are participants fully engaged in the physical aspects of making art, they are also intellectually challenged and stimulated by extensive group and individual critiques. The strong and surprising works made often work as catalysts for future work.

Marathons are open to beginning and advanced artists, regardless of their affiliation. Admission follows the same requirements and procedures as for the full-time program. Fees for the ten-day course must be paid in full upon registration.

Spring 2013 MARATHONS - January 14 - 25, 2013

New York Studio School is closed on Monday January 21 in observance of Martin Luther King day...

Week 1  - Monday January 14 - Friday January 18 (5 days)

Week 2 - Saturday January 19, Tuesday January 22 - Friday January 25 (5 days)

Drawing Marathon with Graham Nickson & Guests: Jan 14-25

This course will investigate many implications of drawing as a physical and cerebral activity as well as drawing as a philosophy.  It will discuss key issues, including those of scale, tiny to huge; the use of different formats; the use of the rectangle; the vertical axis and its significance; the nature of distortions; the compression of space and depth; the search for 'form' and its consequences; space and its meaning, functions and the different kinds of space; and the nature of relational drawing.

Each day produces an intense working mode, using the vitality of each individual's purpose.  Students work very hard and are offered individual criticism on a one to one basis, constantly.  The average day usually contains several group critiques and a lengthy final critique at the end of the physical drawing session, and is intensified for the last critique at the end of the course.  The dialogue and discussions within the group are expected to be clear and succinct.  The students are encouraged to participate and understand the visual language of drawing. Evening critiques are held most nights beginning at approximatley 6:30pm.

This marathon is a two week duration: Jan 14 - 25, and is open to students and artists of all levels. Cost of this marathon is $1625.

Sculpture Marathon with Charles Hewlings - Jan 14 - 25

Occasional.  Arising out of, made or meant for, adapted for use on, acting on, special occasion(s)  (Oxford English Dictionary)

Most of the history of sculpture in the last century has been the development of sculpture as an autonomous object.  It is more or less mobile and may move from studio to gallery to museum or private collection.

I want to focus on how a sculpture can be occasioned by, adapted to and belong in a particular location.  For the purpose of the Marathon, the location is the workplace.  Whatever idea is brought to the work, it should directly respond to, challenge or deliberately interfere (in appearance only) with the given spatial and structural characteristics of the workplace. 

Possible subjects that are brought to bear on the location are:

- Memories of a familiar place.  The outstanding features of the place in the mind

  may not be exclusively physical.  It may be a response to the sounds, say, or the

  purely spatial relationships that become the basis for work.

- Memories of an event or incident, one that can be visualized in spatial terms.

- A story or image from literature. 

This marathon is a two week duration: Jan 14 - 25, and is open to students and artists of all levels. Cost of this marathon is $1625. Additional Materials fee: $150

Drawing Marathon with Susan Walp- Week 1 Jan 14 - 18

What are the elements that can lead us to a more personal imagery in our work? How can we become more sensitive to the mystery and beauty of the relationships our eyes perceive and how can we find true and living equivalents for them in black and white media on paper? This 5-day marathon workshop will focus on still life as a vehicle for approaching composition from a more personal perspective and for learning to see more clearly and deeply the tonal and spatial relationships that are the building blocks of working from direct observation.

This marathon is one week duration: Jan 14 - 18, and is open to students and artists of all levels. Cost of this marathon is $890.

Drawing Marathon with Carole Robb - Week 2: Jan 19 - 25

"The Conformist" by Bertolucci is based on a novel by Alberto Moravia. It's a fast paced political novel filmed in seductive color and makes use of the Fascist era of Italy in the 1930's.   The movie is an expressionist masterpiece and uses 'movement' to suggest the rise and fall of Fascism. We will watch this movie and simultaneously draw from it, seeking to capture movement in drawing. Drawings will be made rapidly as we look more at the screen than at the paper. Equivalents and transformations will be made with varying degrees of resemblance and we will not be concerned with overlapping.

Drawings made directly from the movie will form the basis of our week's marathon. We will use these drawings as a wellspring of ideas and combine them with the memory of the movie, as we develop larger drawings. As the week progresses the drawings made will be shaped by the direction each student chooses to explore, with movement as the primary theme. Drawing has its own special language full of suggestion beyond the concrete presence of lines and Film too has its own language. We will be considering the nuances of both, in individual daily critiques and in one final group critique on the last day. 

This marathon is one week duration: Jan 19 - 25; Sat Jan 19, Tues Jan 22 - Friday Jan 25 and is open to students and artists of all levels. Cost of this marathon is $890.

Future Marathon dates:

Summer 2013: June 3-14, 2013 (as part of the Summer Session)

Fall 2013: September 3 - 13, 2013

Marathon applicants who have successfully been accepted, enrolled and completed a Marathon within the past last three years are not required to resubmit a portfolio, portfolio list or essays with their application. When applying, please indicate in the essay 'Statement of purpose' box, the year and the marathon you successfully completed.

This is inclusive to include previously enrolled students from our MFA, Certificate, and/or Fall and Spring Marathon programs. Additionally this clause applies to previously enrolled students in any of our full-time Summer programs. If you have any questions or are unsure if this applies to you, please contact the Director of Student Services.

NB- All marathons are subject to cancellation.