the other weekend we went on an organized trip to windsor, where the windsor castle is situated. it was built in 1066 by william the conqueror on a hill next to the thames river. while the castle housed many rulers, in the 1820s george IV made many of the gothic exterior changes that are seen today. it's the largest (covering 13 acres) and oldest occupied castle in the world and is still used regularly on weekends and for summer events by the queen and other royal figures. 

unfortunately i never got too excited about history when i was younger and had the opportunities to learn about it, but since then i've really learned to appreciate things and places and ideas that have stood the test of time. I had an absolute blast visiting my first castle. 

before leaving the states, i was premeditating what it would be like to study abroad in the u.k. and i often wondered if i would feel the history of the countries by simply living there, walking the streets, hearing the buzz of the people and cars around me. what i've come to find is that i do, and i find it in everything; the architecture, the monarchy and all the tradition, the accents and the way people speak about their country, the roads and the trees, even the stars feel a little different. everything. and i'm happy to say that i love experiencing such a weathered, cultural place. 

i hope you enjoy my photographs of it.

some gargoyles for mom

our french friend, margot

our turkish friend, tuna

margot in the sun

laughing at myself after imitating kirk

treasure of a used book store we found in the town of eton where we picked up some old english prints 

wonderful boulangeries everywhere

the river thames

2 empty pints at 2:00 in the afternoon. cheers, katlin.

some photos from the other day 

making our way to the knight's park campus. everyone transports themselves so efficiently here, and i really appreciate that.

margot and her red hair

the bus

a very cute flower shop outside the grocery store

cute (unrefrigerated) eggies

no explanation needed

an education

there were a lot of good things about today. my legs are tired, my eyes are sleepy, my heart is warm, and my mind is busy. 

katlin, margot, and i made our way to the art & design campus of kingston university to sign up for classes and work out some scheduling kinks. 

i was not expecting an introduction to professors and even a bunch of the second year students, but this and more are what i got. one of the fine arts professors i spoke with first gave me a really great introductory statement explaining the kingston art education system and how it benefits the students. 

he described that the system heavily stresses and is based on individual learning and discipline. all of the 'professors', introduced by their first names, are practicing artists, which is directly correlated with the idea that they don't teach the students, but instead guide them in their path to becoming a successful individual artist in the real world. they encourage but do not strictly hold students to conducting research, taking time to discover and explore different ideas, experimenting, learning to consult and take criticism and direction from peers, and creating art with a strong contextual presence. i am so fascinated not only by the way the british run their schools, but simply in the vast difference from an american school to those in ENGLAND for buddha's sake. maybe i will just always possess the childlike intrigue for all the variation that comes with traveling; change and difference are so cool. 

the british seem a lot more interested in conceptual art than purely formal art, which is less strict in the states. a lot of american artists these days get by simply by making 'good looking art', which i would say i used to be a complete advocate for. but as i delve further into the art world, taking more specific classes, particularly in the illustration department, and further away from practicing basic skills in fine art, i am starting to get sick of realism and wondering if whether even though it might be what i'm good at, is it what i want to spend more time on. 

so, with this really in depth fine art studio course i will have my own space, be working under my own direction, creating work and ideas completely curated by me, in another country, amidst all the other exciting things i'm going to be learning and seeing. i'm scared shitless, i'm nervous, i'm overwhelmed, i'm shocked, but i'm so excited and i think i could really learn a lot from kingston this semester.    

it's so different from any system i've come in contact with in the u.s. and i'm afraid i might find that i prefer this way. 

the day ended with a stop at the grocery store for candles and french quiche ingredients, the cooking of french quiche (by our little french friend, margot) and drinking wine à la maison de katlin, and the eating of french quiche whilst watching the movie "an education." 

all of the days have been wonderful, but today was another example, one with good friends, good food, lots of walking, and always discovering new things. 

kingston doesn't believe in keeping all areas of study confined and together, and therefore they won't seat a painter next to another painter, but rather a media artist could be working next to a sculptor. i love this.

these girls were really lovely to me. they were trying to pour plaster into a balloon but it wasn't working properly and instead making incredible farting noises. which drew a crowd.

the studio space for fine art students was really just one huge room. i was really impressed by the work students had up for assessment.

the art building/campus is situated right on the thames river, which i thought was fantastic. 

after talking with student artists for a while, i went outside and watched some ducks fight with each other.