Location:

Washington, United States

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

Take off to the Southwest for an exciting journey of artistic discovery and expansion. Immerse yourself in a two-week intensive practice of writing and multimedia while soaking up the rich, diverse culture of Taos, New Mexico and its surroundings. Set against the spectacular Sangre de Cristo Mountains, this magical desert town became a world-renown art colony by the mid 20th century, attracting the likes of writers D. H. Lawrence, Mabel Dodge, and Aldous Huxley, painters Georgia O’Keeffe, Earl Stroh, and Agnes Martin, and photographers Ansel Adams and Paul Strand. Today, Taos still boasts a vibrant art community steeped in Native American and Hispanic tradition, and is a unique place of raw, natural beauty.

Writing is shared and critiqued in daily onsite workshops. Guest authors talk about their work; musicians guide you in reading your pieces with breath and rhythm and in collaborating with other art forms. Tours of the Taos Pueblo, Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, residential earthships, Taos Modern School of painting, and local museums and galleries serve as writing prompts. Activities also include a day-trip to art-mecca Santa Fe, and studio time with a local photographer and potter. Rafting, mountain biking and hiking, and the farmer’s market are among things to do on weekend free time. A performance caps the course, when you present your project, accompanied by live music.

Creative writing can be ignited by new horizons, and sharing it with an audience can reach another level when multimedia elements are added. In this intensive two-week creative writing course, students compose pieces inspired by the raw beauty and rich multiculturalism of Taos, New Mexico. Learn how to give flight to your words by combining them with multimedia elements (photos, collage, drawing, music) for a final presentation. Writing will be explored and critiqued in diverse workshop settings. Trips to local museums and galleries, natural landmarks and other sites of interest will serve as writing prompts. Local guest authors and musicians will discuss their creative process with words and multimedia, helping participants to sharpen their ear for language and sound. A performance will cap the course with excerpts from students’ theme-based portfolios, accompanied by live music. Readings and exercises are drawn from works by Sherman Alexie, Joy Harjo, Jimmy Santiago Baca, Robert Mirabal, Mabel Dodge, Allen Ginsberg, Laurie Anderson, and Patricia Smith, as well as critical essays, including “Poems on the Page, Poems in the Air” (Billy Collins), “The Future of Language” (Saul Williams), and “Composition as Explanation” (Gertrude Stein).

Cost:

$3500.00 Tuition includes accommodations, welcome and farewell dinners, daily full breakfast, local transportation, guided tours and site visits.