“This summer was a difficult time for many students and artists. Lots of residencies and educational opportunities shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, I still had the opportunity to create and converse with Graham Nickson and other faculty at the New York Studio School as. This year the Drawing Marathon went virtual.

NYSS is known for its marathons that were implemented by its dean Graham Nickson. The marathons are two week long intensive programs where participants are pushed hard to achieve a new understanding of a medium. Originating with drawing, the marathons since have extended to include sculpture and painting. I was awarded a scholarship from the NYSS, as well as an award through the School of Art at UARK to cover my tuition. Furthermore, I was able to apply for a Summer Project Grant through the School of Art to help cover the expense of materials.

As a student I was asked to draw for two weeks beginning at 9am and ending at 6pm. I was prompted to draw from the live models that attended the course virtually while exploring different aspects of drawing that ranged from the technical to the metaphorical. Nickson and other instructors who ran the marathon provided critical feedback on my work daily. I left the marathon with an invigorated appreciation for drawing that will undoubtedly feed into my artistic practice.” - Jonathan Green, MFA