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October 2023: Moving Forward with the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing: A Note on Recent Changes and Organizational Independence

Our dedicated Board of Directors, Staff, Faculty, and Advisory Supporters would like to take this opportunity to provide an explanation of some changes in recent years regarding the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing.

The Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing was founded in 1972 in Aix-en-Provence by Leo Marchutz, William Weyman, and Samuel Bjorklund and was organized as a 1901 Association in France. In 1974, the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States and recognized in France in 1978. The school administered and ran its art programs for twelve years until 1984 when a local American study abroad organization — under the direction of its then-president Amos Booth — bought Leo Marchutz's studio property on the Route du Tholonet that had been built for the artist by architect Fernand Pouillon. Amos Booth arranged a partnership between the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing and the study abroad organization at that time to run the school from Leo's studio. For 37 years, the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing continued, expanded, and evolved and we are grateful that the school was able to carry on for decades in Leo’s studio. However, in 2021, because of various personnel, academic, and structural changes at the study abroad organization, the Board of Directors of the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing decided to end this partnership to ensure that the school could continue on for generations to come.

The heart of the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing lies not in a name, in a certain property, or in any one person, but in the substance of the teaching, the tradition of the experience, the generational passing on of knowledge, and the intrinsic versatility and fullness of trusting a "beginner’s mind" approach of using one’s senses to lead to a rich and deep experience. It is our goal and mission to preserve, nurture, and expand the pedagogy and artistic legacy of the school through ongoing dialogue, educational apprenticeship, and artistic achievement while fostering a diverse, engaged, and art-focused community in Aix-en-Provence and internationally. As ever, we are dedicated to enhancing the ability to see — into the world, into works of art, and into ourselves — encouraging the pursuit of truth, imagination, coherence, and beauty in our art and in our lives.

Dear Leo Marchutz School Community,

I hope this finds you well wherever you are in the world. I am writing today from my desk in Portland, Oregon, where we finally have some much-needed sunshine outside and where I’ve been busy organizing our upcoming summer programs in Aix-en-Provence, France. We are looking forward to welcoming 25 students of all ages and backgrounds to our new studio spaces in the beautiful Hôtel d’Albertas and Beaurecueil, where they will discover the magic of the Leo Marchutz School experience. I’m writing today to celebrate a big milestone with you all: just over one year ago, we officially announced our renewed direction as a fully independent organization and launched our new website. Since then, we have felt an outpouring of love and support from our international network of artists, writers, friends, old and new colleagues, fellow educators, and family.

As we celebrate one year of tirelessly pursuing our vision for the future of the Leo Marchutz School, we wanted to share with you all an exciting update on what we’ve accomplished since last April, all of which has only been possible with your support. Please read our April 2022-April 2023 Review on the News & Events page on our website to see how far we have come (and take a peek at where we plan to go)!

I’ve always known how special the Leo Marchutz School community really is, but never more so than during the past year – the outpouring of support and love for this endeavor, as well as your stories of human connection, shared experience, and loving community that have grown out of your encounter(s) with this School, are infinitely moving. We’ve also been so heartened by the support of this beautiful institution by friends who’ve never attended the school but who believe in the value and importance of its sustained existence in the world. I’ve been brought to tears more than once when I hear that certain currents now running through former students’ lives – whether professional, interpersonal, extracurricular, spiritual, internal, or otherwise – all began, somehow, with the simple act of picking up a paintbrush in France. Nanette Jenkins, a Leo Marchutz School student from 1975, says it so eloquently:

“I never imagined how [studying at the Leo Marchutz School] would change my life, and that the lessons learned about art would touch every part of my life. I learned to see with new eyes, giving attention to the light. I learned that one mark, one value affects every other mark and value, thus the whole piece. Amazing how these lessons are valuable in teaching, in music, in personal relationships and in life. I am forever grateful to this community of artists that welcomed me with love and respect, and continues to do so. The Marchutz gift of learning to see has helped me to find a profound joy in the natural world and the people in my life.”

And one of our dear high schoolers from summer 2022 said simply, “I developed a true sense of admiration and wonder for the world around me that I had never truly seen.” Accounts such as these, spanning more than 50 years of the School, buoy us and encourage our team forward. Reminders that this school makes such a profound impact and difference in students’ lives give us confidence that we made the right decision to continue the Leo Marchutz School for future students.

As we look back on this past year with both gratitude and a sense of wonder, we also look ahead toward the future to ensure that we can continue to provide the life-changing education that the Leo Marchutz School has become known for in its more than 50 years in operation. We know we are not alone in the landscape of schools and nonprofits who need to fundraise to provide a foundation for the work that we do. So it is in a spirit of reciprocity and grateful admiration that I come to you with an invitation: Would you commit to the longevity and unfolding future of the Leo Marchutz School in a new way?

At the present moment there are several ways to support the Leo Marchutz School of Painting & Drawing with financial contributions. This next year (and beyond!), we are dedicated to: 1. supporting and expanding our faculty and staff; 2. investing in our beautiful new studio spaces; and 3. supporting student scholarships. I invite you to consider giving back to the Leo Marchutz School to make these efforts possible.

Below, I would like to specifically highlight the opportunity to support student scholarships. Contributions toward scholarships, such as the two specific funds outlined below, allow us to continue to welcome students of all backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses to Aix-en-Provence.

We are honored to partner this upcoming summer with Prep for Prep, an organization in New York City whose mission is to develop future leaders by creating access for young people of color to first-rate educational, leadership development and professional advancement opportunities. Part of this mission involves raising funds for their participation. We look forward to welcoming a cohort of Prep for Prep high school students to Aix-en-Provence this summer, and so we are actively fundraising to support as many Prep for Prep high school students as we possibly can for this upcoming June/July. A donation of $8,750 covers one student’s tuition, room, board, and fees for the 4.5-week summer program! Every amount donated toward this wonderful cause makes a difference in the lives of these students and we thank our donors for their generous support of this great cause.

This summer we will also welcome students from St. John’s College (from both their Santa Fe and Annapolis campuses) to Aix-en-Provence as part of our adult Painting in Provence summer program. The Leo Marchutz School-St. John’s connection goes back to the very beginning of the Leo Marchutz School and we are delighted for this reinvigorated partnership! We aim to make the cost of attendance for St. John’s students, many of whom attend college on loans, as low as possible to allow us to support all students who would like to participate.

Please consider making a donation to support these important partnerships — and student scholarships in general — for this next generation of Marchutz School students! Make a donation now.

Your support and dedication to ensuring the success, future, and integrity of the Leo Marchutz School mean so much to us, and we thank you sincerely.

With gratitude,
Rose

Rose Guth, Executive Director
The Leo Marchutz School of Painting & Drawing

(May 2023)

Dear Friends of the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing,

My name is Rose Guth and I am proud to greet you today as the Executive Director of the newly reinvigorated Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing. Like many of you reading this, I’ve experienced the transformational power of learning about art, the world, nature, life, community – and myself – in the school founded by Leo Marchutz and his apprentices in 1972. I have experienced Alan Roberts’ color talk and had John Gasparach ask me, in a thought-provoking manner, “What do you think they’re up to?” in front of a great work of art. I have learned from the wisdom that Leo Marchutz passed on to his apprentices, and they to theirs, and so on, and in this way, I have become part of that lineage of artists that began in 1972 when Marchutz dared to put his own name to an independent school for artists of all backgrounds. 

The last several tumultuous years have brought about major change within our school and now, with the support of an invaluable team of experienced teachers, mentors, advocates, and advisors in Aix and in the larger community, we are pioneering a new, sustainable, and fully independent format for the school. I am thrilled about this new direction and feel honored to now contribute toward bringing the Leo Marchutz School to its fullest potential. Many of you out there are friends, supporters, artists, teachers, and observers who, together, make up the Leo Marchutz School community. We welcome you with open arms and invite you to join us as we begin a new chapter in the school’s 50-year history.

The difficult news today is that the organization founded in 1972 by Leo Marchutz – the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing – will no longer be able to operate in Leo’s studio at this time. This departure is regrettable, but while we seek a new home, the present moment allows us to explore a new range of workshops, residencies, and events to grow, promote, and celebrate the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing legacy. I am already heartened by the enthusiasm in our group, and I hope you will join me in contributing to a future where generations of artists can experience the joy and revelation of seeing that has always been at the center of our artistic endeavors and pedagogy.

To begin with, we are committed to bringing you direct glimpses of individual artistic endeavors and community projects on a regular basis. Stay tuned for announcements about our developing programming that will aim to preserve, nurture, and expand the vital legacy that has been fostered in the name of Leo Marchutz. We will gladly be announcing new opportunities for our community (you!) to connect and participate.

To take the first steps on our new path we need your support. I would like to invite you to join us and get involved right now by following us on Instagram and Facebook, signing up for our email list, referring other friends to our new website, and making a donation to support the Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing during this critical moment. Your donation is tax-deductible and will concretely assist us in developing our programs and offerings. We would love to hear from you with comments, insights, and suggestions, and, if you feel so inclined, please send us a note about what you are up to. I always cherish conversations with friends, fellow artists, and supporters.

There are so many beautiful ways forward from here. We’ve only just begun looking!

With joy,
Rose

Rose Guth, Executive Director
The Leo Marchutz School of Painting & Drawing, Inc.

(April 2022)