Summer School Programme 2019 - London

• Eight places on four courses at City & Guilds of London Art School funded by the Michelangelo Foundation this summer
• Participants selected from six countries across Europe: France, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Slovakia and Ireland
• Courses explore etching, woodcarving, gilding and stone carving • Summer School programme also funds places on three other courses around Europe this summer

July 2019, Geneva – The Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship will give eight young artisans and designers from around Europe the chance to participate in a course at the City & Guilds of London Art School this summer as part of the foundation’s inaugural Summer School Programme. 

A new educational initiative developed with members of the foundation’s international network, the Summer School Programme offers selected young students and recent graduates in craftsmanship and design a fully funded place on a participating short course. The aim is to give these young talents the opportunity to try something new, outside their usual specialisation, helping them to broaden their horizons, fulfil their potential and make cross-disciplinary connections that will benefit them as their careers develop. 

The Summer School Programme will fund 50 places on a total of seven courses across Europe this year, with four of those courses held at City & Guilds of London Art School, a member of the foundation’s network. One of the few art schools still teaching traditional craftsmanship skills in the UK, this prestigious institution has a stellar reputation for teaching and learning within craftsmanship, fine art and design.

The Michelangelo Foundation will fund two places on each of the following four courses at City & Guilds of London Art School, all held from 22-26 July 2019:

Stone Carving for Beginners
An introduction to the fundamentals of low relief stone carving, including the tools and techniques for cutting stone and applying texture. Students will also discover the historical background to various decorative styles.

Summer School participants: Lexie, a ceramics student at Maynooth University in Ireland, and Martin, a PhD design student at Slovak Technical University, Slovakia

Introduction to Ornamental Woodcarving
A rare opportunity to learn historic woodcarving skills, starting with simple chip carving, before moving on to carving an architectural ornament out of raw timber, working from a plaster mould.
Summer School participants: Lydia from the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland’s Ceramic Skills and Design course, and Arne, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Art Antwerp in Belgium.

Gilding and Verre Eglomisé
A solid introduction to two centuries-old techniques: verre eglomisé, which involves applying gold leaf to glass and then etching it; and oil gilding, a technique suitable for use on external architectural features in plaster, wood and stone.

Summer School participants: Cécile, a fashion design graduate of HEAD – Genève in Switzerland, and Claire Luna, a student on the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland’s Ceramic Skills and Design course.

Etching Fundamentals
Participants will learn the craft of intaglio etching and printing in the art school’s historic print room, which has been central to the school’s practice since the late 19th century, as well as examining the historical background of printmaking from its origins to the present day.

Summer School participants: Jenna, a textile graduate from the Ecole Nationale Supérieur des Arts Appliqués et des Métiers d’Art (ENSAAMA) in Paris, France, and Laura, a textile graduate of La Massana in Barcelona, Spain.

Commenting on the cross-disciplinary approach of the Summer School Programme, participant Cécile said: “Reuniting different arts and crafts professions can only make each other stronger. There are so many things to learn from all of those fields. By communicating and exchanging our knowledge, we can develop our creativity, generate new ideas and build a community to make tomorrow better.”

Claire Luna added: “It can be incredibly enriching to work alongside people that work and think differently to you as it provides you with new perspectives, ideas and techniques, stimulating your work in a new way.”

Tamiko O'Brien, Principal of City & Guilds of London Art School, said: "The Art School is delighted to be partnering with the Michelangelo Foundation on the Summer School. At a time when digital technologies appear to question the need for the handmade, this is a timely intervention, and a fantastic opportunity for young artisans and designers to explore a craft tradition outside of their own specialism. It is essential that those of us who champion the dialogue between the eye, hand, material and intellect, collaborate to promote the very important role that traditional crafts play in society. Through this project we aim to stimulate, educate and encourage future makers."

As well as the courses at City & Guilds of London Art School, the Summer School Programme will also fund selected students to participate in a glassmaking workshop on the island of Belle-île-enMer, France, an exploration of tapestry in the historic tapestry-making town of Aubusson, France, and a course examining traditional basketmaking skills in Lisbon, Portugal. A total of 200 people applied for 50 places across all the courses.

For more information about the Summer School visit https://michelangelofoundation.org/en/10- summer-school