2011 marks Episcopal’s 10th year of participation in the Big Timber Arts Roundup, held for five days each October in Big Timber, Montana. Students from eight schools, including Episcopal, are hosted by the Burch and Burke families on their spacious ranches as they participate in one of four workshops. These workshops, taught by professionals from Montana and the Philadelphia area, include Writing, Visual Art, Photography and Acting.
The program began when the Burch family felt the desire to give back to the community of Big Timber. Originating as purely a writing workshop, the program has grown to include various schools and students from both areas. Philadelphia area schools that sent students in 2011 included The Haverford School, Agnes Irwin School, Episcopal Academy and Boy’s Latin. Students from four other Montana schools also participated, giving students the ability to connect with artistic cohorts they never would have encountered before.
Besides the expansive ranch landscape, the atmosphere of the Big Timber Arts Roundup is one of freedom and focus. “The key is to take everyone out of their regular environment and give them space, freedom, and support to learn about what they love without a strict schedule,” said Dr. Sheryl Forste-Grupp, Upper School English Department Head, who has accompanied students on the trip multiple times.
Chris McCreary, member of the English Department, has gone on the trip three times as a professional writer and is one of the teachers of the writing workshop. “The best thing for the students is that the professional writers who are teaching the workshops take the students seriously,” said McCreary, “They assume the students are very serious about their own writing.” The Big Timber Arts Roundup brings students from across the country to a new, intensely artistic environment where they are able to hone in on their particular artistic interests. “Art isn’t chopped up into little pieces,” said Forste-Grupp, “It’s a continuum, it’s nonstop.”
“I never expected to be a member of the Big Timber Arts Round Up trip for the fall of 2011. Though I have an extensive interest in photography outside of school, I had never taken any classes at Episcopal on the subject. Dr. Forste-Grupp, one of the teachers who attends the trip, encouraged me to apply.
Upon acceptance, I was extremely excited, although I had no idea what to expect. As the trip approached, I was knee deep in college applications, looking forward to a break from school. When we got to Montana, I was amazed at all of the beautiful open space, the encouraging staff, and the hospitable family. Barbara Van Cleve, who led the photography workshop, was extremely talented and helpful in both the basics and how we could expand our skills. She provided individual attention to all who needed it, and gave us advice on what we can improve on. Every day we would shoot pictures in the morning, and then break for lunch. We chose 5 favorite pictures to print and display at the end of the weekend. Barbara taught me to take pride in my work, and to look for specific techniques in my pictures. My photography and knowledge of my camera has improved dramatically; the Big Timber Arts Roundup will definitely be a highlight of my high school career.” –Meredith Hompe ‘12
“The Big Timber Arts Roundup was an amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys and appreciates art. I first heard about this trip as a freshman, and I knew right away that I wanted to go. This past October I finally got the chance to head to Montana with the group; the wait was worth it.
Our painting workshops were held every morning and afternoon, led by a professional artist from Big Timber Montana, Diana Brady. Diana specialized in watercolor landscapes and taught us how to use watercolor. Watercolor is a challenging medium; it gave us all a great appreciation for the artists who master it. Those of us in this workshop were used to all different mediums, from sculpture to oil paints, and we all struggled for a bit. It was difficult to show detail without the paint spreading and running. Throughout the week, with Diana’s guidance, we learned how to use the medium and all of our paintings improved.
Painting in Montana everyday was incredible. The beautiful surrounding mountains, rivers, and trees served as inspiration for our paintings. I would recommend this trip to anyone who loves and appreciates any type of art. It is a great way to relax, forget about all of the stress of school, and focus on what you are passionate about.” -Audrey Regillo ‘13
“I had no idea what to expect on the Big Timber Arts Roundup. My older brother had gone on the trip and loved it, and the pictures I saw of the Burch’s ranch were incredible, so I decided to apply for writing. Upon being accepted, I knew I would be out of my element and out of my comfort zone. I was nervous, but excited.
The trip was an experience that changed me and my viewpoint of the world and the people around me. I had the opportunity to make new friends with people from Episcopal, but I also made new friends with people from seven other schools from the Philadelphia area and from Montana. The landscape was beautiful and inspiring, the perfect setting for five days of writing. The adults and professionals on the trip gave us a tremendous amount of freedom, a huge change of pace from school life. We were able to climb the mountains on the ranch, walk by the river, or take hikes whenever we wanted. The food was amazing; the Burkes and the Burches could not have been more welcoming.
If you have an art that you are particularly interested in, then I strongly suggest applying for the Big Timber Arts Roundup this spring. It is one of the opportunities offered at Episcopal that can truly change the way we see things. It is an experience I will never forget.” –Kelly Szafara ‘13