Wednesday, May 2, 2007

MFA Decision 2007 - UC Davis-bound

uc davis
uc davis,
originally uploaded by robin kibby.

After adding 1000s of miles onto the Prius touring academic art facilities, I opted to stick closer to home to paint at UC Davis.

I am excited about my choice, but was attached to the other fictional futures as well. I am adjusting to their loss, filling their void with green hill, countryside, clean white walls, and a sea of bicycles.

It's hard to be objective about the decision. Each school was wonderful. Lots of strangers were generous with their opinions and their time. I peeked into studios, galleries, offices, and classrooms. I tried to come up with some matrix to compare studios vs. teachers vs. surrounding city vs. price.

In the end, it all seems a game of chance. A good game, since each school offers an improvement over my current tiny studio and semi-isolated work environment. So, here's to a couple years of prioritizing painting, and a victorious return to the metropolis with a trunk full of artworks to share. If all goes well, I may regain my bicycling legs as well.


2 comments:

Maureen said...

yay - i'm glad you picked UC Davis. It's my son's school ... and one of our other sons visits him there alot. Maybe someday you and Gabe can hook up -- he's the artist in our passle of kids. I think you've seen his work on flickr (he definitely likes yours -- found it after I sent him over to your flickr page to see your powerlines and transformers paintings) He is skuz on flickr. I'll tell him you're going to be in Davis, Robin -- will it be fall when you start?

Robin said...

Hey Maureen. Glad to hear more good things about Davis. And yes, that would be nice to meet Gabe. I have seen his work online, and like his highways among other things. I am also amazed he can complete a painting in an evening as part of an event! In a few weeks I'll be able to turn my mind schoolward - onto packing, finding a home for my studio stuff, and finding a place for me to stay during the week. (Davis is about an hour north of our current home). Lots of changes ahead!
So, yes! in the Fall I am going