inschoolofcrafts

The project is based on the idea of creating a cultural centre wherein people will acquire deference towards the old crafts as well as discover the endless possibilities of the utilization of natural materials. Not only will the connection between nature and crafts be considered, but also the closely related philosophies on life.

Similar to the Native American nations, European communities were also known to generate a balanced relationship between the exploitation of natural resources and materials in their life. They understood that nature was a gift and must be protected and not be over-exploited, as their entire subsistence and life has depended on this gift.

At present the so-called world society is in a deep crisis, though no one wants to admit it. This crisis is a moral, spiritual and existentialist crisis. All other crisis phenomena, starting with the despairing ecological prospective through the absurd vanity of the highly developed consumable society are the consequences of the human total crisis.

As more and more people, particularly the young, are becoming dissatisfied with the consuming way of life, the idea of establishing the International Schools of Crafts has come to the forefront. Modern people are beginning to become interested in the traditional ways of life, desiring to gain a modest understanding of not only the existentialist sphere but also the sphere of the traditional folk manufacture. These similar activities, however, possess great psychological values and tend to positively enrich the souls of all who wish to participate even if just for a short period.

East Slovakia is a rather unique region as this relatively small territory has intersected numerous cultural traditions for almost a thousand years. It is here that the border between Eastern and Western Christianity coalesce; and it is here that one finds the co-existence of diverse groups both multi-ethnic and multi-cultural including the (Slovaks, Gypsies, Ukrainians, Ruthenians, Hungarians, Germans and Jews). Their symbiosis and mutual influence has enabled the preservation and transformation of of numerous varieties of traditions.

As the contamination by pseudo-culture and the consuming way of life in the Eastern Slovakia region are rather short indeed, many original traditions and the material artefacts have been preserved as well.
The International School of Crafts is being formed in the region of Eastern Slovakia, in the village of Nižný Klatov. This village is located in the middle of the woods in a narrow valley of the Myslavský brook, within 12 km from the city of Košice, the second largest city in Slovakia, and 12 km from the international airport. The village is also located in the vicinity of the "Bukovec" water reservoir (9 km). Accommodation and meals (3 per day) will be provided in the high standard hotel Hrabina.

During the first year of school (2005), four courses will be offered:

1. Artistic Smithery and Metal Beating - the artistic processing of iron using the classic method of forging will be applied to small artistic artefacts based on one's own design; pounding copper - the utility article, relief, small plastic art; possibility of enamel utilisation (subject to the applicant's choice).

2. Artistic Wood Processing - manufacture of utility vessels, decoration of wooden articles with metal, working with wood using the lathe, manufacture of the traditional wooden furniture as well as small musical instruments, carving and production of beehives (subject to the applicant's choice).

3. Sculpting - stone classical processing, modelling with sculptural clay, possibility to cast the produced models in gypsum, low temperature melting metal, artificial stone (subject to the applicant's choice).

4. Ceramics - manufacture of the utility or decorative articles made of clay or by shaping on the kickwheel, plastic decoration, decoration by glazing and firing in the kiln.

The courses are offered during the period from May through September and each will meet for 28 classes during the term. Reduced or half-time courses are also offered whereby the student will meet for only 14 courses (tuition pro-rated accordingly). Upon special request and interest, the courses may be offered at other times during the year.

Class size is intended to remain small thereby allowing for a more personal, in-depth and high-quality training by the lecturer. Applicants need not have any experience in the course in order to participate as classes will be directed towards both the novice as well as advanced participants.
All applicants must be at least 18 years of age or older. Courses will be conducted in English.

Weekend field trips will also be organized during the course of the term so that students will be able to better understand the nature and beauty of Slovakia and its influence on the imagery and design in craft production. Such field trips will include, visits to an open-air museum, wooden churches, icon museum and rafting down the river Dunajec.

Training will be conducted at the village houses, therefore, students will have the opportunity to become familiar with a variety of seasonal jobs typical for village life, such asbread baking in a masoned oven fired by wood, firing ceramics in the field oven, plum jam cooking in a copper cauldron, elder syrup cooking, etc.

Organized lectures will also be provided by various experts in the fields of philosophy, cultural history and literature, arts, music and folk craftsmen. Concerts will also be organized featuring various traditional ethnic performing artists.

Each course is 1.400,- EUR. This price includes accommodations for 28 nights, meals (3 times per day), transportation to the location of accommodation from hotel Hrabina, and restaurant, teaching materials and lectors related costs. This price does not include return travel costs from the place of domicile of applicants to Košice, costs related to the weekend trips and insurance.

We kindly ask you to provide this information to any potential applicants for participation in this project. They may contact ISCdirectly at the following address:

Mgr. Art. Ivan Novotný
Cintorínska 23
044 12 Nižný Klatov
Slovak Republic
Or via e-mail:
ivann@pobox.sk

Please include in your correspondence, the desired dates as well as courses of interest.
Official applications, contracts and finalized information will be supplied to interested applicants at the start of the course year.
In order to get this project off the ground, time is of the essence. Therefore, we ask that potential applicants contact us at their earliest convenience in order to better assess the possibilities of ISC.

About Ivan Novotny:
Mgr. Art Ivan Novotný (expert guarantor of ISC). . Mr. Novotný completed his studies at the Secondary School of Arts in Kremnica (Slovak Republic) with a speciality in artistic smithery. After completing his studies at the University of Art in Prague (1992), where he studied sculpture in the atelier of Kurt Gebauer, he taught at the Secondary School of Arts in Košice - division of stone sculptures. During this same period, he also taught at the Technical University of Košice - Department of Design. During the years 2000 - 2002 he was taught as a senior assistant at the Prešov University, department of Art Education. Presently, Mr. Novotný is employed as a senior assistant at the Department of Art and Intermedia at the technical University of Košice.

Additionally, his experience during the above-referenced periods not only included instruction in the Arts, but also modelling, art preparation, as well as courses oriented in the materials processing, as the work with the basic sculpture materials, with wood, stone and metal.
Notable Contributions:
" Executes the activity of a creative artist along with his teaching activity as he hasrealised more conscious awareness within the sphere of architecture and in the free and utility artistic creation.
" Constructed numerous gables applying the forged iron and beaten copper technology in the city of Košice. For the Faculty of Law of Košice lounge he designed the relief decoration made of cast tin. He has also designed numerous entry gates, railings, beaten reliefs and chamber plastics for private clients.
" Created the designs and models of the medals for the Slovak Technical Museum of Košice, for the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry and for the Department of Metallurgy of the Technical University of Košice.
" Created the monumental sculptural group of he Holly Family for the Roman Catholic Church in Bardejov. He made the reconstruction of the P.P. Gojdiè image based on the photo-documentation for Greek-Roma Catholic Bishop Office in Prešov. For the House of Mourning in village Valaliky by Košice, he also created the monumental welded and beaten cross made of copper.
" Created the reconstruction of stucco decorations on numerous historical buildings in the City of Košice.
" In the year 1996 he became a winner of the public competition for the memorial of the Czech and Slovak Solidarity for the City of Košice. This memorial has not been realised so far.

Participation in International Symposia:
1992 Prešov - "Laboratory 1992"
1993 Plzeò . "Winget Arrow"
1994 Nyborg (Denmark) - "S.O.F.A."
1995 Przemysl (Poland) - International plain air of painters
1995 Bardejov - "The second life of wood"
1997 Plzeò "Winget Arrow II"
1998 Bukovec - Sculpture Symposium
1999 Pezinok - "Invisible exhibition"
Appraisements:
1984 Winner of the public competition for logo - Warehouse "DOMINO"
1986 Winner of the public competition for the Memorial of Czech and Slovak Solidarity
1997 The 8th anniversary of the designer contest in Osaka /Japan/. Work of M. Koscelanský under supervision of I. Novotný awarded by the crystal plastic art.
Exhibitions:
1992 Individual exhibitions in the streets of city of Košice
1992 Prague - exhibition in the streets of the city
1994 Prešov - "Returns and Chains" - sculpture saloon
1994 Nyborg /Denmakr/ - collective exhibition
1996 Przemysl /Poland/ Exhibition of the painter's plain air participants
1997 Košice - "Varnishing day I."
1997 Košice - Gallery of V. Loffler - "L ´ HOMAGE Á BARTUSZOVÁ"
1998 Brno /Czech republic/ - Exhibition of arts in frame in the Brno Fair
1998 Košice East Slovakian Museum - "Varnishing day II."
1999 Košice - "L ´ HOMAGE Á PETER"
2000 National Gallery Strážky - "Tribute to J. Medòanszky"
2001 Košice -The Technical Museum - "PO 40" - Exhibition of teachers of the Department of Arts of the Prešov University
2002 Medzilaborce - Museum of Modern Arts of A. Warhol
2002 Košice - Gallery of J. Jakoby - "Seven + two"