Location:

Aix-En-Provence, France

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Academic Year, Fall Semester, Spring Semester, Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

Unique in its conception, the Marchutz School of Fine Arts takes an interdisciplinary and holistic approach to learning/creating art and is suited for students and artists of all levels. The mission of the school is, above all, to develop the student's capacity to see. Masterworks, architecture, landscape, the human imagination, memory, perception, craft - students at the school look around them as well as within themselves until their artistic expression springs from a union of sight and insight. The school's professors have collaborated in the studio, in the landscape, and in the classroom for over thirty years. These profound bonds, together with deep familiarity with the museums of Europe, are invaluable for helping inspire students to think and create beyond their normal expectations.

The Marchutz School combines studio work, an intensive interdisciplinary art criticism seminar, liberal arts courses at The School of Humanities and Social Sciences, French language study, and excursions to European museums and cities, including Paris, Giverny, and Venice. Studio work informs the museum excursions while the seminar discussions and museum study enhance the on-site painting sessions. An in-depth study of the locales that inspired masterworks by Van Gogh and Cezanne benefits every individual's own way of seeing. All of these activities interweave to give each artist a perception of his or her own contemporary work in relation to the art of the past - an essential step toward self-discovery.

Included in the program is the homestay. Students share daily continental breakfasts and six dinners per week with their hosts. Excursions are also a part of each program. Previous excursions have included trips to Giverny and Paris during the fall semester and a painting trip to Venice during the spring semester. Other excursions throughout the semester have included a Van Gogh and Cezanne site visit and a weekend excursion to the Cote d'Azur. Summer students have traveled to destinations such as the Vaucluse, Arles, St. Remy, and Montmajour.

Setting Description:

Aix-en-Provence is one of the most engaging cities of France. Concerts, summer festivals, libraries, museums, bookstores, markets, and cafes are all accessible for students and only a short walk away. Aix is a town rich in history and local tradition, with a sprinkling of historical architecture dating back to the 5th century. The Marchutz School of Art is situated on the famed :"Route de Cezanne" in Aix-en-Provence. Over the years, artists have been inspired by the rich artistic environment of the south of France.