FAQS
Is it easy to find housing in Pawtucket?
Yes. On craigslist.com almost all the listings for housing in Rhode Island are in Providence. The school is less than four miles away from downtown Providence. You can find housing to share (VERY EASY because of all the undergraduate and graduate students in the area) in a range of $200- $700. There are efficiency apartments (studio/one bedroom) for as low as $550. Two bedroom apartments on average are around $800.
How do students support themselves? Do they work?
Obviously every ones financial situation is different. It is very difficult to work full time and maintain your focus in class. Certainly, there is a reason why the phrase “poor college student” came into being. There are resources for grants and scholarships that can be found online. The school also accepts credit cards. As an option a student may work over the summers and just a few hours a week during the school year.
“And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.”
Erika Jong
Is this program for beginners or advanced students?
The program is for both. As a beginner you have an advantage of not having to "unlearn" any bad habits you may have picked up along the way. It is also greatly beneficial for more advanced students who want to rededicate themselves to their art. It does not matter how much experience you have. What matters is your attitude. I am a compassionate teacher and understand how difficult the work is. If you are willing to be honest with yourself, you are bound to learn and grow as an artist.
How do you determine at which level a student will begin?
Student level is based on portfolio review. If you have never had any classical training it is best to start at the beginning. Even students who are coming in with a certain amount of experience can benefit from going through the beginning assignments. If they are very easy for you- they shouldn't take you too long to get through anyway.
I assure you- I do not want to hold anyone back longer than necessary. There are things I will see in your work that you will not see. As reassurance, once you are done with one level- for example- Bargue drawings or cast drawings in charcoal- you will never go back to learn those lessons again.
One note on student self sufficiency-
Academic training is attractive to people because it breaks down an art form that is very complex into a method, almost a science. An academic training is the best way to learn how to draw- but it is still an Art. A certain amount of experimentation is necessary to solve drawing problems. You must be a self starter and have a way of dealing with the frustration that is a part of learning anything new.
School location and surrounding area-
http://www.mapquest.com/mq/1-X2xFbFlI
This is a link to view the school location. Click "aerial image" in the upper right corner to see how close the school is to thriving downtown Providence and other colleges. A list of universities in the area include Rhode Island College, Brown University, Providence College, Rhode Island School of Design, Johnson and Whales University, Bryant College, and Community College of Rhode Island.
A lot of people walk and bicycle in Providence and Pawtucket.
Here are a few links to arts and culture in the area.
http://www.waterfire.org/
WaterFire Providence®, the award-winning sculpture by Barnaby Evans installed on the three rivers of downtown Providence, has been praised by Rhode Island residents and international visitors alike as a powerful work of art and a moving symbol of Providence’s renaissance.
http://www.arts.ri.gov/index.php
Established in 1967, the RI State Council on the Arts (RISCA) is charged by the state legislature to stimulate public interest and participation in the arts.
http://www.pwcvb.com/static/index.cfm?contentID=20
The city's Arts and Entertainment District has bloomed, thanks largely to tax incentives offered to artists who chose to live and/or work in the area.
http://www.trinityrep.com/
Since its founding in 1963, Trinity Repertory Company has been one of the most respected regional theaters in the country. Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic respected regional theaters in the country. Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works, including six subscription productions, and an annual production of A Christmas Carol, for an estimated annual audience of 160,000. In its 44-year history, the theater has produced nearly 52 world premieres.
http://www.pawtucketartsfestival.org/
Last year, the Pawtucket Red Sox brought the legendary Bob Dylan to Pawtucket's own McCoy’s stadium, as the Pawtucket’s Arts Festival kick-off event.
