Ox-News: Winter Reading
Dear Readers,
This past year filled our campus with so much life. From a cozy winter session that left our campus feeling like a winter wonderland, to a bustling summer that packed our studios and cabins with artists from all over the world. Just two weeks ago, we welcomed our first 2025 cohort of faculty, visiting artists, and students. Campus is alive once again, and we’re so excited to see what the coming seasons hold. As we say farewell to the old and welcome the new, we wanted to take a moment to reminisce on some of our favorite stories from the past year. Thanks for indulging our memories. We look forward to making new ones with you in the coming seasons!
With care,
Shanley Poole, Engagement Liaison & Storyteller
Fashion as Intuition
Gurtie Hansell’s love for fashion and connection to altered clothing stems far into their past. At a young age their grandmother taught them to sew and from there it seemed, in Hansell’s words, “I always made clothes or augmented clothes to fit my weirdo personality.” However, Hansell started to make a more communal and consistent practice of it in 2015. For the retirement party of Chicago’s Chances Dances, Hansell was approached about facilitating a fashion show. The project materialized into something substantial. Hansell reminisced on the crowd’s positive reactions. “And I had a lot of fun and the models really liked it,” they added. That Hansell would receive such positive reviews from all around didn’t surprise me. It’s in their nature to honor and connect with others, something I’ve experienced first hand in all my encounters with them.
Visionary Awardee: John Rossi
“Looking back, my first memory of John Rossi is a fitting one. I initially met him during April of 2021 when I came to campus for a final round interview for what would become my first job at Ox-Bow. My encounter was brief. He stood atop a ladder in the old inn fixing an antique chandelier in place. He gave me a friendly hello, I returned it, and that was that. My first Rossi sighting.” – Shanley Poole
Storyteller to Storyteller
Ania Freer, former Artist-in-Residence, opens up about her storytelling practice with Shanley Poole in this intimate and free-flowing interview.
Alumni Philipp Groth Says By-Bye Pilsen
When Philipp Groth found out Cermak Center was closing, he knew leaving was no simple matter of packing up his studio. He had to say goodbye to the building and to Pilsen while he was at it. Pilsen, the neighborhood that Cermak Center called home, has been an artistic hub for creatives, but in its most recent years, the area has become exorbitantly expensive. When the building was slated for demolition, Philipp knew this meant he’d have to find an entirely new part of Chicago to house his practice. But first, he had to bid the neighborhood farewell.
2024 Artist Profiles
Image List:
A view of the lagoon at dusk. Photo by Dominique Muñoz (SF24).
Gurtie Hansell sits on a navy futon in front of a plant. Image courtesy of the artist.
John Rossi tinkers outside his studio. Photo by Dominique Muñoz (SF24).
Ania Freer stands behind a camera in front of pink-blooming shrubs. Image courtesy of the artist.
Philipp Groth sits on the floor of a studio. Image courtesy of the artist.
Headshot of Sarah Ann Banks. Image courtesy of the artist.
Christen Baker blowing glass in the Helen Keeler Burke Glass Studio.
Constantine and Hausther serve oysters out of a truck bed. Image courtesy of Constantine.
Crissman and Torrence sit together in their studio while pets perch on their lap. Image courtesy of the artists.
Michael Cuadrado painting in the studio. Photo by Dominique Muñoz (SF24).
Headshot of Jack Holly. Image courtesy of the artist.
Paul Peng sits in the studio and gestures at a painting. Photo by Natia Ser (SF23).
Headshot of Yashu Reddy. Image courtesy of the artist.
Steven Smith works on a leather coaster in his studio. Image courtesy of the artist.
Headshot of Mark Thomas Gibson. Image courtesy of the artist.
Reference Key:
SF - Summer Fellow