Michigan
Saugatuck (Mich.)
Allegan County (Mich.)
Middle West
Art school
Plein air painting
Docks
Summer
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Newspaper clipping titled "Ox-Bow: A Midwest Summer Art School Begins a New Era." The article shares a narrative of the traditions and history of the Summer School of Painting in Saugatuck, Michigan. Two photographs accompany the article and feature artists working on various projects such as plein air painting on a dock along the Kalamazoo River and experiencing art critique at Ox-Bow meadows.
Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists' Residency
Digital file contributed by Mike Van Ark for the Stories of Summer Project.
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
Copyright Undetermined
Art--Exhibitions
Trees
Photograph albums
Collection of two black and white photographs and a sepia-toned photograph from the page of a photo album associated with Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. The top left photograph is of a painting that is hung above a horizontal bookshelf. The top right photograph appears to be of an outdoor exhibition featuring pieces of art hanging on a clothesline with a wooded background. The sepia-toned photograph located at the bottom features a man and woman standing in front of a clothesline with hanging artwork that appears to be an outdoor exhibition.
Plein Air Painting a Windswept White Pine
Black and white photograph of a group of students plein air painting at Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. In the photograph, a class of student artists are painting beneath what appears to be a windswept White Pine tree that has greatly shifted in the wind and is being supported by several large wooden props.
Kalamazoo River (Mich.)
Aerial views
Buildings
Coastal forests
Black and white aerial photograph of the wooded grounds of Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan as taken from above the southwestern shore. In the photograph, the historic buildings of Ox-Bow can be seen including what appears to be the Ox-Bow Inn and the studio shacks located along the Kalamazoo River at the edge of the Tallmadge Woods. that is taken from very high above the ground. Other parts of Saugatuck can be seen in the background.
Black and white aerial photograph of the wooded grounds and surrounding landscape of Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan as taken from high above the southwestern shore. In the photograph, the historic buildings of Ox-Bow can be seen including what appears to be the Ox-Bow Inn and the studio shacks located along the Kalamazoo River at the edge of the Tallmadge Woods.
Black and white aerial photograph of the wooded grounds of Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan as taken from above the western shore. In the photograph, the historic buildings of Ox-Bow can be seen including what appears to be the Ox-Bow Inn and the studio shacks located along the Kalamazoo River at the edge of the Tallmadge Woods.
Black and white aerial photograph of the wooded grounds of Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan as taken from above the northern shore. In the photograph, the historic buildings of Ox-Bow can be seen including what appears to be the Ox-Bow Inn and the studio shacks located along the Kalamazoo River at the edge of the Tallmadge Woods.
Black and white photograph of a man walking toward wooden buildings that appear to be the studios of Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. The buildings are partially obscured by several large windswept trees and the water of the Kalamazoo River can be seen in the background.
Lagoons
Sand dunes
Black and white aerial photograph of the Oxbow bend of the Kalamazoo River in Saugatuck, Michigan. In the photograph, the art school's campus can be seen from a bird's eye view of the Kalamazoo River, Oxbow Lagoon, Tallmadge Woods, and the surrounding Lake Michigan coastal environment. Trees can be seen lining the shore and several buildings are nestled in the center of the photograph.
Black and white photograph of the nineteenth century landmark building known as "The Ox-Bow Inn" located at the center of the Ox-Bow grounds in Saugatuck, Michigan. The historic inn is known as the heart of the campus and is nestled among the trees at the edge of Tallmadge Woods.
Black and white photograph of a group of people painting dockside along what appears to be the water of Lake Macatawa near Holland, Michigan. Plein air painting in Macatawa, Michigan was a tradition for students attending Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. In the photograph, one woman can be seen painting while seated on the dock while another stands and paints on an easel. The other three individuals can be seen painting while seated along the shore on various rocks and driftwood, while parked cars and boats can be seen in the background. A handwritten note can be seen on the left hand side reading "Mae Naber Van Ark, In shorts and Hotter." Circa October 1958.
Black and white photograph of a group of people at Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. The group of nearly twenty-five people are standing outdoors on the Ox-Bow grounds and pose for the picture in front of several trees and buildings that can be seen faintly in the background.
Black and white photograph of the West Michigan landscape of dunes and water as seen in Saugatuck, Michigan. The photograph is blurry and appears to be taken along the Kalamazoo River at Oxbow Lagoon. Several trees can be seen lining the coastal dunes.
Painting
Black and white photograph of a man in a white tee shirt and glasses as he paints on a canvas in what appears to be the outdoors of Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. The photograph is blurry and the gentleman appears to be seated on the ground while painting on a canvas.
Black and white photograph of wooden buildings along the Kalamazoo River at Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. They appear to be the studio buildings at Ox-Bow. Several large trees can be seen framing the buildings in the foreground and a hint of the river can be seen in the background.
Lithography
Etching
Black and white photograph of the Litho Studio and Etching Studio at Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. In the photograph, there is a wooden building with an awning and closeline out front and signs that read "Litho Studio" and "Etching Studio" hung on the siding. Several people of various ages can be seen standing or walking in front of the building.
Black and white photograph of a wooden building along the Kalamazoo River at Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. In the photograph, a young man stands atop a balcony stairwell and hand-painted drawings decorate the exterior of the building. A clothesline can be seen tied to the scaffolding of the balcony and a hand-painted sign appears to read "The Store."
Pottery
Black and white photograph of an outdoor pottery studio at Ox-Bow "Summer School of Painting" in Saugatuck, Michigan. In the photograph, a woman wearing a summer dress is walking outside the studio nestled in the woods. The name "Old Smokey" is painted on the right side of the lean-to shed building and several thick branches make up a fence with a sign reading "Pottery Shop."
COVID-19 pandemic, 2019-2020
Epidemics
Grand Valley State University
College students
Personal narratives
COVID-19 Journaling Project card submitted by a student or visitor to the University Libraries in 2021. Prompt: What should people of the future know about being a student in a pandemic? Response: IT'S HARD BUT DOABLE. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP! :) CH [heart]
Grand Valley State University. Special Collections & University Archives
University Archives. COVID-19 Journaling Project
Grand Valley State University University Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives.
In Copyright
COVID-19 Journaling Project card submitted by a student or visitor to the University Libraries in 2021. Prompt: What have you learned about yourself, your friends, or your family as a result of the pandemic? Response: Relatiionships are the most important thing, not the things we do, the things we have, etc.
COVID-19 Journaling Project card submitted by a student or visitor to the University Libraries in 2021. Prompt: Write a 6 word "essay" about your experience of the pandemic (or draw a picture!). Response: It is always changing, or not
COVID-19 Journaling Project card submitted by a student or visitor to the University Libraries in 2021. Prompt: What should people of the future know about being a student in a pandemic? Response: Make yourself a schedule. It's easy to lose track of time.
COVID-19 Journaling Project card submitted by a student or visitor to the University Libraries in 2021. Prompt: Write a 6 word "essay" about your experience of the pandemic (or draw a picture!). Response: Life is Hard But it's good.
COVID-19 Journaling Project card submitted by a student or visitor to the University Libraries in 2021. Prompt: What have you learned about yourself, your friends, or your family as a result of the pandemic? Response: People are more willing to help than you think