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[nickydraws]

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[Sulphur]

So look for B&Bs or youth hostels?

[nickydraws]

Even the cheapest hostel is around 45 dollars per night. 45*90 = 4050 dollars. I don't have that kind of money. Plus they only allow you to stay up to 14 days.

[Falchion]

Well, generally speaking, the prices get a bit cheaper moving out into the boroughs. But if you absolutely must stay in Manhattan for some reason, Harlem's still got some pretty cheap apartments. They're not in particularly...nice places, but they're cheap.

[cdejong]

I'm in the core program at GCA. Rent is extremely expensive in NYC, I'd recommend checking out that site couch surfing: http://www.couchsurfing.org/index.html . I'd offer you a place to stay but I'm going to be elsewhere during the summer between terms.

[Vari]

If you were female I'm sure you would have received at least 10 suggestions by now... oh cruel genitals!

[nickydraws]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

Falchion, heh. New York seems kind of like a scary place.

cdejong, I follow your blog. You're doing great. I envy you! It's too bad you won't be there during the summer. Thanks anyway. I understand you wouldn't let some stranger stay at your place when you're not even there. Sometimes people sublet their apartments or room to people when they go away for the summer. I hope I can find something like that through Craigslist eventually.

Vari, haha, I know, right.



It's hard. Right now I'm at crossroads...

Previously I studied at The Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art. I saved up money for years in order to go there but my money kind of ran out faster than I had hoped and I was only able to stay for one year. I'm not sure if I made the right decision. Even though it's still a good school and I'm happy I went there I feel like a lot of it was wasted time and money. The school drastically changed when I got there and I didn't really get to study with the instructors that I signed up for. It wasn't a very focused program. There were just bits and pieces of different methods. I decided to finish the year there anyway because it would have felt stupid to just quit after looking forward to it for so long. But In the end I don't feel like I learned what I wanted to learn and progressed enough in order to continue to study on my own.

My favorites are the artists of the 19th century from before Impressionism. The Grand Central Academy comes closest to teaching that in my opinion. I see the best work coming from that school. I can't be a student there full-time because the school isn't able to grant student visas, and they have no desire to be able to in the future. Plus I could never afford to study abroad for an extended period again, and I'm not sure if I feel like going through that whole ordeal again anyway. Going to Los Angeles was quite a scary adventure and New York doesn't seem that much nicer. I just thought I could go there during the summer and stock up on workshops and try to get a good start in their methods that way. Then work my ass off at home and continue to apply what I learned there. It can never compare to going through their entire program but at least it's something.

I don't know what else to do. There's a few other places, like Studio Escalier in France but it's also expensive and quite frankly I largely prefer the Grand Central Academy. To me, that place seems like the best school in the world for that type of painting. I want to go there, even if just for a bit.

Just ranting....... thanks if someone actually read that.

[Frank Gressie]

hey i hear ya..
want to go there too for the summer so badly, but money is a big issue for me too (hey, who hasn't got them?)...and if i HAVE the money to go there for like 6 weeks, there is always the 'where do i stay' issue, a hotel isn't going to work...and to sleep on a couch for 6 weeks...what would be best is like, i big group going (like 5/6 people) and to rent a house somewhere in queens or something, not in manhatten...

anyways, keep us updated on your search!

frank

[cdejong]

Norkagar: if you really want to, you could come to the core program. It's feasible to hold down a job and go to school at the same time. Some people bus tables or work as a waiter, which is perfect because usually the place only needs you on nights and weekends. You could also look at Camie Davis' atelier (Camie was a student at Water Street and a teacher at WS and GCA up until last year, and her teaching is essentially the same to Jacob's methods). I was there the other night; the space is small but cozy, and Camie is an absolutely fantastic teacher. It's also a couple hundred dollars cheaper than GCA per month. That way you could also take night classes at GCA after school, although Camie's teaching is sufficient in itself to get really good.

I agree that GCA is most likely one of the very best, if not the best, school in the world for working in the classical approach. Don't give up on coming here; the GCA/Guild Atelier community is very tight knit and we're all friends. It's a good place to be.

[nickydraws]

Frank, thanks. I will.

Connor, I really want to, but I cannot. I'm not an American. Neither the GCA nor the Guild Atelier is able to provide visas for international students. I wouldn't be able stay in the country for longer than 90 days so attending full-time is not an option. (working while on a student visa is not allowed either) I wish I could! It's my dream school.

[cdejong]

I hate this stupid international law crap. We should all be allowed to live where we please. I'm sorry, man.

[OmenSpirits]

I went to GCA for a week intensive.

I had difficult only in the way of using charcoal and using it properly. The info John DeMartin went over I was already familiar with (I'd researched the technique before hand to become familiar with it internally) so my only issue was being able to produce during the class, but I did learn some. And was able to apply it afterwards (which is the pain of it all, and usually how I learn something!!!!)