Relaxing and Exploring Art in Český Krumlov

This weekend our students enjoyed a two-night trip to the town of Český Krumlov in South Bohemia. While here, they toured the gallery at the Egon Schiele Art Center, participated in an animation workshop, and toured the home and photography museum of Josef and František Seidel. At the “fotoatelier,” our students learned about how portraits were photographed and developed prior to the development of modern film. Our students were dressed in era-appropriate clothing by museum staff, and given the opportunity to pose with props and backgrounds, which led to some group photos sure to be remembered!

Students had time to explore the medieval town on their own, and some chose to join a private tour of the town and castle. On the castle tour at Cesky Krumlov, students viewed household and warfare items which belonged to the aristocratic families who previously owned the castle, dating back to the 1200s. Students who did not have a fear of heights had the option to climb the castle tower overlooking the town! Pictured below: A CIEE student admiring the view from the top of the castle tower!

For students who needed more time to rest, the morning was well-spent with friends. When asked to share anonymously about their favorite memory of the weekend, it quickly became clear that the friendships and memories they are making will last a lifetime. One student requested that the following picture of a cat near the bank of the Vltava River be included in this blog post, responding, "My favorite things about the weekend trip was that I saw a really cute cat by the river and walking the streets with my friends!"

Another student found themselves immersed in the many skilled art shops available to peruse, and shared the following story: "I just spent almost an hour listening to a woman who couldn't speak any English gesture to explain all her shop items to me. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen, she showed me how her family cooks and talked about the traditions of her wood carving through giving me a full demonstration and a little card that had some English information about her shop. My favorite thing about he weekend trip was the small alleyway consisting of homemade crafts, blacksmiths, and other works like glassblowing. Everyone there was extremely sweer and happy to spead information about their passions and hobbies."

Visiting a typical Czech vacation town for the weekend was a much-needed recess from the city, and by our time of departure on Sunday afternoon, students were ready to return to Prague. Our students have exemplified learning through doing, open-mindedness as they interact with a different culture, and continue to explore how their unique styles are developing through their artwork. We are looking forward to our last week of classes, focusing on photographic design and development!