Short Courses November 2009 - May 2010 - West Dean College

WonderfulWest DeanStudents love West Dean.I am able to declare this withgreat conviction because avery high percentage returnand many suggest that this specialplace is an important part of theirlife. What people learn heremakes a difference in many ways.Sometimes the exquisite locationprovides an escape from theincreasing everyday pressure people have to manage.Others come to hone or learn a skill to be utilised inprofessional practice and this is reflected in thenumber of our full-time postgraduate students whocontinuously dip into the short course programme.No other single postgraduate centre in Britain offersa similar range of courses where techniques relatedto making in the arts are taught by such a large numberof practitioners.Some students have already taken advantage of thefact that we have reduced the minimum age to sixteen.This allows a parent or guardian to share their love ofWest Dean and it also opens up the opportunity formore young people to learn new skills in making, musicand writing. Students who select ten starred weekendshort courses are eligible to sign up for our newFoundation Diploma in Art and Design.Tutors on these courses are highly experiencedpractitioners dedicated to teaching skills andto encouraging young artists and artisans creativeways of thinking.Our focus upon innovative making gives all studentsthe opportunity to explore the physical worldand expand their understanding of materials andprocesses. With the help and generosity of more than270 tutors, West Dean preserves and promotes theskills of making, music and writing that are instrumentalin helping individuals imagine and realise creativeideas. Many students have benefited from being partof the everyday life of the College and have alsocontributed to our culture of learning and sharing.We are able to promote integration and inclusion asa result of the courage and commitment of our tutorsand students. Edward James maintained that he did notbecome a surrealist but was born a surrealist, living alife situated somewhere between his dream worldand reality. I would encourage everyone who feelsthat balancing the imagination and the senses throughmaking fulfils a basic human need to join us at thiswonderful and unique place. You will be very welllooked after and you will get to know other peoplewho share the values that Edward James activelypromoted throughout his extraordinary life.Robert Pulley PrincipalAbout Edward JamesWest Dean TodayWest Dean College today enjoys aninternational reputation as a renownedstudy centre offering a rich and variedcurriculum. The College provides fulltimeMA degrees, diplomas and shortcourses for students, from beginner tothe advanced professional. West Dean isa small, specialist college where leadingprofessionals come to share theirexpertise in art, craft, music, writing,gardening and conserving, enablingyou to learn new skills in an inspiring,environment.Edward James was a lifelongcollector of art and a poetwho inherited the West DeanEstate and 19 th Century flintfacedmanor house in 1912from his father. When hecame of age Edward Jamesbegan investing his moneyand time in supportingartists, craftspeople, dancersand poets and his passionfor the arts brought him intocontact with many leadingartists of the time includingLeonora Carrington,Remedios Varo, Salvador Dalíand René Magritte.In 1964 he created acharitable trust, the EdwardJames Foundation, to fulfilhis desire to nurture music,traditional crafts and thevisual arts. The Foundationopened West Dean College in1971 as a centre for educationand training in conservationand in the visual and appliedarts.The West Dean ExperienceWest Dean College is situated atthe heart of the 6,400-acre WestDean Estate, set amongst the stunninglandscape of the rolling South Downs.The College, with its large countryhouse style, offers a creative educationalenvironment that allows you theopportunity to escape the pressuresof daily life and to learn new skills inan informal, relaxed atmosphere withina spectacular setting.Courses normally last between oneto five days and can be either nonresidentialor residential.The award-winning West Dean Gardenswith its beautifully-restored kitchengarden, ornamental gardens andlandscaped parkland, ensure that youare surrounded by a remarkable settingand range of artefacts which many ofthe tutors use as inspiration for projectwork.Whether you come for a day or aweek, your time at West Dean willbe memorable.“West Deancontinues to providethe best in artsand crafts in themost intriguingenvironment.”Robert W, short course student2 Fees listed for each course are non-residential – please see page xx for accommodation costs | Short Courses November 2009–May 20100844 4994408 | short.courses@westdean.org.uk | on-line booking at www.westdean.org.uk 3