The Oxbow School

At Oxbow, studio art practice is not about waiting for inspiration; we believe that artists design problems and then solve them, opening up new ideas and possibilities while responding to materials that re-shape the originating question. Students leave Oxbow with a set of skills that can be reconfigured to meet the challenges of ever-changing goals and environments.

As the nation’s only art-focused semester boarding program for high school students, Oxbow stands out as a unique educational model, situated in a beautiful setting that is conducive to fostering student growth. Oxbow is centered on a belief in the impact that direct contact with artists can have on young minds. These experiences wed intellect with passion and help many students identify the direction they will take in college and the focus of their adult lives.

The Oxbow curriculum is designed to match the requirements of the nation’s best public and private high schools and is as committed to academics as it is to art making. All of the courses at Oxbow are accredited, honors level, and college preparatory. The Oxbow School is a private, independent and not for profit organization.

The Oxbow School is located in Napa, California, forty-five minutes from San Francisco, one hour from the Pacific coast, and within a few hours of exceptional state and national parks. Students enjoy an inspirational campus setting while still having access to all the amenities of downtown Napa, which is just a short stroll from campus.

Students who attend Oxbow are transformed by their experience and leave with an exceptional set of new skills.