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Employment

Now Hiring: Painting/Drawing Teacher

01/11/23

PAINTING/DRAWING TEACHER

The Oxbow School is a one-semester fine arts program for high school juniors and seniors from public and independent schools nationwide. The School offers forty-two students an immersive educational experience focused on the in-depth study and practice of the visual arts. This 4-month program encourages motivated students to pursue a serious interest in art. Through work in the studio/classroom, trips to art venues, and lectures with Visiting Artists, Oxbow provides students with direct exposure to the richness and diversity of contemporary art. Our goal is not to produce career artists, but to empower students to see with clarity and become active participants in the world. The Oxbow School is founded on the belief that engagement with the arts fosters and supports flexible thinking skills that are particularly valuable in today's increasingly complex global community.

POSITION

The Painting/Drawing Teacher at The Oxbow School is a full-time interdisciplinary teaching and residential position during the academic year (mid-August to mid-May). This position includes co-teaching with faculty in one of the following disciplines: New Media, Humanities, Environmental Science, Printmaking, or Sculpture. This co-taught course should integrate content and skills using various modes of Painting/Drawing including abstraction and representation while emphasizing the process of inquiry over the end product and empower students to use artmaking as a way to synthesize the world around them. Using essential questions as an entry-point for creative inquiry, the Oxbow pedagogy is student centered and project based. The residential nature of The Oxbow School also requires that faculty participate as full members of the Oxbow community. This includes participating in community-building activities, acting as an advisor (an important liaison between students and parents), participating in co-curricular programming and elective opportunities, and assuming a supervisory role for students in a variety of settings. All teachers at Oxbow engage and model Oxbow’s learner expectations: creative inquiry, effective communication, self-empowered learning, a collaborative mindset, and responsible citizenship.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Manage painting studio supplies and equipment
  • Maintain a safe and effectively functioning studio environment for students
  • Collaborate to curate and install student exhibitions
  • Actively collaborate with faculty peers in ongoing integrated curriculum design and instruction
  • Differentiate curriculum for different types of learners
  • Actively participate in all components of the community and residential life of the program
  • Supervise students during evening studio/dorm duty shifts
  • Lead a student advisory group
  • Provide social-emotional support for students
  • Facilitate conflict mediation and resolution for students
  • Plan and participate in co-curricular programming and enrichment activities
  • Lead an elective activity in Painting/Drawing (figure drawing, portraiture, oil painting, etc.)
  • Support student trajectory post Oxbow
  • Serve on faculty and staff committees dedicated to school improvement
  • Engage in professional development to support evolving student needs
  • Participate in and/or facilitate professional conferences
  • Provide opportunities for students to practice leadership in the community
  • Participate in weekly meetings (faculty, department, committee, etc.)
  • Engage in student behavioral redirection and disciplinary proceedings
  • Respond effectively and immediately to emergencies and high-stress situations
  • Communicate regularly with parents and, when pertinent, sending schools
  • Provide leadership on faculty
  • Serve as a role model to students

    CORE QUALITIES

    • Expertise in Painting and Drawing techniques and media and deep knowledge of art history and contemporary art
    • Ability to teach within and across academic disciplines
    • Demonstrate a passion for working with adolescents to improve their lives
    • Dedication and commitment to a 24/7 residential boarding program
    • Promote responsible citizenship and respect for diversity, inclusion, equity, and differences
    • Possess a positive outlook on the world and opportunities for young people
    • Desire to contribute to something larger than oneself and have a deep-seated belief in the power of teamwork
    • Openness to feedback and improvement; committed to life-long learning and modeling growth mindsets
    • Comfortable with ambiguity and flexible thinking
    • Interest in staying abreast of trends in progressive education and familiarity with student-centered and project-based pedagogies
    • Desire to provide thought leadership and incorporate best practices in education
    • Sensitive and responsive to student needs, concerns, and passions
    • Devoted to making oneself available for the safety and security of students
    • Skilled in conflict resolution and mediation
    • Ability to address student socio-emotional needs and mental health concerns with professionalism, confidentiality, and seeking support when needed
    • Thrives on creative problem-solving and collaboration
    • Interest in building a dynamic and innovative school culture
    • Strong work ethic

    COMPENSATION + WORKLOAD

    The instructional week follows a block format schedule that comprises a teaching load of 1 section of 7-12 students at a time. Compensation includes salary as determined by a faculty step scale and experience, ranging from $51,162-$59,361 for approximately 33 weeks of prep time and instruction during the Fall/Spring academic year. The benefits package includes: health insurance, dental, vision, and housing with utilities paid by the school.

    Interested candidates should submit a CV and cover letter to Jennifer Jordan, Head of School, at: jjordan@oxbowschool.org. Position open until filled.


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    Development

    Annual Report 2022

    09/01/22

    We are truly grateful for the generous support of our many donors from across the globe and the significant impact their contributions make on the lives of Oxbow students. Our commitment to creating opportunities for all students to create, grow, and thrive would not be possible without them.

    Please view the full 2022 Annual Report here.

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    Around the Bend

    Around the Bend - July 2022

    08/03/22

    Dear Oxbow friends and community members,

    I hope this message finds you in the midst of summer revelry – on a family adventure or catching up with an old friend at a corner cafe. In Napa, the 2022 Oxbow Summer Art Institute is fully underway with students embarking on their Final Project. When students aren’t making art in the studios, they are lounging in the hammocks, eating blackberries from the thicket along the riverbank, volleying a shuttlecock over the badminton net, harvesting honey from the bee-boxes, splashing in a waterfall at Point Reyes, or on a meandering stroll in search of the sunset. There’s something to be said about a shared social experience on a long summer day. It is more than enough.

    I recently greeted an Oxbow alumna (OS34) who spontaneously stopped by campus during a trip to the Bay Area from New York City. As we caught up, I could feel deep nostalgic emotions surface as her eyes scanned the campus for the first time in years. She relished, “Coming to Oxbow was the best decision I have made in my life and my closest friends today are the ones that I met during my semester. I wouldn’t be where I am in my life had I not attended Oxbow.” Shortly after that visit, I thumbed through the most recent issue of Art Education, The Journal of the National Art Education Association, pausing on one written about innovative technologies in support of developing self-identity. I was struck by how much the research echoed the conversation I had just held with my former student.

    The author, Nara Kim, refers to social identity theory, noting that the theory examines “‘a portion of an individual’s self-concept that is derived from perceived membership in a relevant…social interaction’ (Hermanussen et al., 2019, pp. 2132-2133).” Kim goes on to argue that “the growth of a new identity structure requires learners to freely relate life events and life possibilities to themselves and shape descriptive meaning.” While Kim’s work is largely focused on young children, the same principles can be applied to adolescents (and, arguably, to adults as well). Adolescence is such a critically important developmental stage in life as teens begin to develop a heightened self-awareness, not only in terms of their own identity formation but in consideration of how that unique identity is relevant within the context of the community at large.

    Having access to a safe space like the one cultivated at Oxbow provides the supportive social fabric that fosters self-confidence and gives shape to one’s identity. When fellow educators, administrators, or parents ask, “What is it about Oxbow that sets it apart from another school?” I explain that it’s not so much about the day-to-day arts programming, it’s about the trusting community that is built from living together in a tightly knit community. It’s about heart – it’s about seeing students…listening to them…pushing them…and holding space for growth. The social interactions at Oxbow are relevant and meaningful; these interactions prepare students for future success and bolsters personal well-being at a time in life where it’s easy to get lost in irrelevant noise.

    As we bring the summer program to a close this week, I am confident that the memories developed this summer will continue to last for a lifetime. And, for that, I am grateful to have met this student cohort and worked alongside a committed faculty and staff. I look forward to welcoming families and friends on campus for the celebratory closing ceremony this weekend!

    Warm regards,

    Jennifer Jordan

    Head of School

    Artwork above by Jasper D, Spring 2022
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    Around the Bend

    Around the Bend - May 2022

    05/11/22

    Dear Oxbow Friends,

    It has been a few months since the Spring 2022 semester started, but it only feels like a few days have passed. (Sense of time at Oxbow can be a trickster.) Students are busy putting the finishing touches on their final projects in preparation for the upcoming Final Show on Saturday, May 14th. There is great excitement in the air! The Oxbow faculty, staff, and trustees are eager to greet families this weekend in celebration of each student’s success.

    While the finished work will inspire the viewer, what a guest at the Final Show doesn’t see is the organized chaos that transpires behind the scenes – sprawling mind maps, research, writing drafts and pitching proposals, experimenting with new materials, faculty patiently guiding students through obstacles, the last minute crunch, the well-earned break, the choreographed installation, the carefully composed artist statement, and the dress rehearsal for the oral presentation. To give you a better understanding of the “work behind the work” from the student perspective, I sat down with a current student, Yuni, to discuss her creative inquiry and art-making process.

    In the introduction to your research paper about the passage of time, you write: “My understanding of time is that we move through life as individuals and the time that we are currently living in marks the preceding and following periods as a past and future, respectively. However, I believe that different understandings of time influence the ways that people live or view their lives. Those who do not believe in the existence of a predetermined future may be more inclined to believe in free will. Those who view the past, present, and future as ontologically equal may be more easily inclined to have a broader perspective and more often see the big picture.” How did you decide on your topic? What inspired you?
    As a child, I discarded each day with ease and rarely acknowledged the past or how it might affect my present. Today, however, I find myself thinking only about the past and try to understand myself through the lens of my past experiences. I decided on my topic because I was reflecting on my time at Oxbow and I was trying to come to terms with the fact that I would have an opportunity to grow in other places like I have at Oxbow. I am curious about how I can accomplish the same amount of work that I have been able to do here. I want to keep up that sense of accomplishment at home. I worry about whether or not I will continue to use my time well. It was hard for me when I first arrived at Oxbow because I saw all of these resources available to me, but there was a set amount of time in which I could use them. I felt pressured to work every day and I would get worried if I hadn’t accomplished something to demonstrate the passage of time. I have now realized that even without a tangible end product, I can still make significant progress, even if it is internal.
    Your research encompasses many different theories about the notion of time. You studied everything from Reductionism and Platonism, Presentism and Eternalism, and Islamic and Buddhist philosophies. Where did your research path lead you in your own understanding of time?
    At the beginning of my research inquiry, I perceived time as being in the present moment. I cannot change the past or the future, but I will always be in the present. Having read a lot of divergent viewpoints, I now have a much better understanding of how others perceive time as well as my own philosophy. My past and my future affect me in many ways, but “I” can be independent of that. The Buddhist understanding of time has had the most impact on me and I have intentionally been trying to stay away from looking at time numerically. Despite modern society’s emphasis on the future, I can slow down and appreciate the present moment. By noticing the small things around me, I can slow down how I experience time.
    You were also inspired by Yayoi Kusama’s infinity rooms. Can you talk more about her work and its impact on you?
    Her work is about continuity and repetition. The repetition makes the viewer notice patterns and, as a result, the space feels bigger. Initially, when I saw a glimpse of the door to one of her installations from the outside, my expectations weren’t very high, but once I stepped inside everything seemed so vast. That feeling of knowing I was literally inhabiting a small space, but experiencing so much expansiveness simultaneously was very interesting to me.
    Describe your artwork/installation.
    Similar to Kusama, I am making a sensory-based room that will feature light, mirrors, and sound. I am making many small bells out of tarleton and I will install lights inside of them. The room will be enclosed with mirrors on the walls and the lighted bells will shimmer against the mirrors to reflect light back onto the walls and around the space. There will be a sound component that will include the sound of ringing bells and wind-chimes. The overlapping sounds will induce a sense of peace.
    How have you approached your project over the past few weeks?
    I came up with the idea for my artwork first and planned backwards. When the final project was first introduced, I knew I wanted to design a “mirror room” and, based on my research about time, I then decided upon the elements I would put inside. Right now, I am cutting out circles of tarleton and shaping them into bells. The main challenge I have faced with this project was feasibility, for I didn’t know if I could pull off creating a whole room/environment. I want the work to feel very personal and I wasn’t sure I could do that on a big scale.
    What has been one of your “a-ha” moments while you have been working on your artwork?
    The biggest learning moment occurred when I was deciding how to visually translate the abstract theme of time into a physical space. Early on, I spent many nights engaged in reflective writing as a way to distill my ideas about time. Bells and wind-chimes kept standing out to me. My grandparents have a big bell collection and ever since I was a young girl I loved visiting them and ringing the bells. My immediate family has a lot of wind-chimes at home. When I think about home, I can hear those wind-chimes. These sounds represent two different types of home and my childhood upbringing; the nostalgic memories have inspired the decision to bring bells into the work. The mirrors depict the endlessness of the future. I like the idea of the past and future coming together in one room.
    What questions are you asking the viewer to consider in this work?
    “How much does the past affect you?” “How much do you honor the person you once were?” “Are you going to take your past self and take advantage of future opportunities?” If there is one thing I want people to take away from my work, it’s that you can slow time down. I want to emphasize that the more one invites play and contemplation into daily life, it will make the days feel longer. That’s been the most comforting thing to me as I prepare to leave Oxbow.
    What have you learned about yourself as a creative thinker and artist over the past semester?
    I have learned that someone doesn’t need technical skill to make something that holds a strong message or meaning. Early in the semester, I was impacted by the sculpture/painting multidisciplinary projects because a lot of the materials we used were found objects. I learned that everyday objects can come together to make different meanings for both the artist and the viewer. I have learned exciting ways to make sculptures and installations convey what I want them to.
    Where are you headed next as an artist?
    I am not sure, but I definitely want to collaborate with others. Being surrounded by my peers here has taught me the value of collaborating and seeing how others’ strengths connect with mine. I want to take advantage of what can happen when two or three people work together on a project.

    To view the final work made by Oxbow students, please visit the gallery on our website here. The Spring 2022 work will be posted during the summer months.

    Warm regards,

    Jennifer Jordan
    Head of School

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    News + Notes

    The Oxbow School Curriculum Guide

    01/25/22

    “Going far off from where you started in encouraged.”

    Our new viewbook is out, attached below, made with our friends McFadden & Thorpe with a tie in to our new, original #oxbowjourney films made by Bay Area filmmaker Whitney Legge, @whitneylegge.

    The Oxbow semester is an exploration of artistic inquiry combined with innovative academics. The experiential semester provides students a unique opportunity to take a semester away while also completing high school on time in preparation for college and a rewarding life. Through a wide range of projects and activities, Oxbow students learn that knowing how to learn is as important as what one learns, like Portia and Ethan, featured in #oxbowjourney on our IGTV channel and our YouTube channel.

    Students leave Oxbow transformed. We support them in their journey towards gaining skills in independent living, taking ownership over their own learning, and developing meaningful relationships that last a lifetime.

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    In the year leading up to Oxbow, I became obsessed with the program, I was entranced with reading testimonials and researching interdisciplinary learning styles. When I arrived at Oxbow I was never disappointed, despite my endless expectations. I will forever cherish the time I spent at Oxbow and the connections I made there. Through Oxbow I was able to hone into the ideas I was thinking about, to refine my artistic process and to see the world in a new light every day of my life. I'm not going to say that without Oxbow I wouldn't be the person I am today, but I will say that without Oxbow it would have taken me at least four years to become who I am after one Oxbow semester.

    — Phoebe Dubisch, Fall 2018

    Advice I would give to future students is to just do it and come to Oxbow and not overthink it because it will most likely (99.9%) be the best decision you have made in your life.

    — Malachi Snyder, Spring 2018

    At Oxbow, the eye and the hand are inseparable from the mind and because their peers are also artists, students adopt fresh attitudes toward their work.

    — Charles Altieri, Rachel Anderson Stageberg Chair, Professor of English, University of California, Berkeley

    A School Like No Other

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