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Picture yourself in the south of France, immersed in plein air painting, the exploration of Europe’s finest museums, while living in your very own artist colony. This is European Art Classroom, Proctor’s term-long art immersion program. During the winter and spring terms, eight students and two Proctor faculty dedicate themselves to the study of fine arts and European culture. The group resides together in a beautiful private home where they learn about group living, cook meals together, and hone their art skills in the spacious art studio and on excursions to local sites, all while studying literature, art history, and language classes.  

While based in Aix in Provence, France, European Art Classroom travels to three other European cities to further explore cultural and artistic themes. The program takes full advantage of Europe’s finest art museums, theater, musical performances, and old-world charm. This program’s vibrant combination of art, travel, and study inevitably leads to heightened aesthetic sensibilities and personal discovery.

European Art Classroom

Proctor Academy European Art Classroom: Immersive art program in France, blending art, culture, and exploration

Creating is powerful; however, what I’ve found even more important is harnessing the ‘empty moments.’ Moments when I am not creating, but instead simply observing or reflecting. Empty moments are hard to come by when navigating our busy lives, but how can we learn, collaborate, and create if we aren’t also reflecting? I am forever grateful to Proctor’s off campus programs for embracing empty moments. - Vienna ‘20

 

Meet the Instructors

David and Jen Fleming have been art teachers and professional artists for more than 30 years, and have worked at Proctor since 2001. Dave and Jen launched European Art Classroom in 2012 and have lived, taught, and created art abroad with Proctor students for the past decade.  

Courses and Credits

Students enrolled in European Art Classroom receive the following course credits: 

  • European History (1 Social Science credit)
  • European Literature (1 English credit)
  • French Language (1 French credit)
  • European Art I: Studio Art Emphasis (1 Art credit)
  • European Art II: Sketchbook (1 Art credit)
  • European Living Skills (1 Skills credit)

European Art Classroom Links 

 

Contact Info

To learn more about European Art Classroom, contact program coordinator Rosanna Eubank. 

European Art Classroom: Settling Into Our Provençal Rhythm
European Art Classroom: Settling Into Our Provençal Rhythm

As eight European Art Classroom students acclimate to life in their new home away from home alongside program directors Dave and Jen Fleming, they have begun to navigate the new culture they are surrounded by while finding unexpected comfort in unfamiliar surroundings.

Off-Campus Programs: A Step Beyond Comfort
Off-Campus Programs: A Step Beyond Comfort

Off-campus programs at Proctor represent our belief that transformative learning occurs when students exist in that delicate space between comfort and challenge, with one foot firmly planted outside their comfort zone.

European Art Classroom: Fall 2024 Final Reflections
European Art Classroom: Fall 2024 Final Reflections

Proctor's European Art Classroom students reflect on nine transformative weeks of artistic and cultural immersion in their Aix-en-Provence home. From regular hikes up La Tête to artistic breakthroughs and cultural and artistic explorations across France, Spain, and The Netherlands, we experience their evolution as both artists and young adults navigating life abroad through their words.

European Art Classroom: Chronicle of a Week in Aix
European Art Classroom: Chronicle of a Week in Aix

Hazel '26 and Sophie H. '25 reflect on a typical week of European Art Classroom in Aix-en-Provence, from cultural Saturday evenings in Aix to “promenade” excursions across the region, including visiting Van Gogh's asylum, the seaside cliffs in Cassis, and discovering the magic of French markets and bakeries, all the while sketching, drawing and painting.

European Art Classroom: Provence to Plaza de España
European Art Classroom: Provence to Plaza de España

In this second post from their fall term, Mia C. '26 and Georgie '26 us a glimpse into the European Art Classroom experience – first a week in their home base, Aix-en-Provence, and then their trip to Sevilla, Spain

European Art Classroom: Creating Art and Community in Aix
European Art Classroom: Creating Art and Community in Aix

Proctor's European Art Classroom participants are two weeks into their fall trimester in Aix-en-Provence, France. Living with co-directors Dave and Jen Fleming, students immerse themselves in art creation and form an intentional community of learners and travelers. 

Proctor Academy European Art Classroom Lisbon
European Art Classroom: Reflections and Gratitude

One thing we can all agree on is how much European Art Classroom and our Proctor experience as a whole have taught us what is truly valuable. Personally, I treasure, above all, the connections I’ve built with strangers and the ability to do so that I am now confident in.

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