The Ben Seamons Scholarship Fund

In the fall of 2016, Ox-Bow lost a friend, colleague, and artist in Ben Seamons. In honor of Ben’s memory, Ox-Bow has founded a scholarship in his name, which will allow one artist per year to attend Ox-Bow and experience the place that Ben loved and to which he dedicated so much of his heart and energy.

Ox-Bow’s goal is to raise $25,000 to endow this fund in perpetuity.

Ben never failed to inspire and invigorate everyone he met with his generosity and spirit. We were all privileged to know him and Ox-Bow is honored to remember his spirit with this endowed scholarship.

 

A note from Kate Seamons:

Shortly after Ben died, I bought Leonard Cohen's final album, and there's a song on it whose simple refrain has stuck with me: "Year by year, month by month, day by day, thought by thought." So many people have told me to take things one day at a time. The song reminds me that when that seems too much, I can get more granular, and just get through thought by thought. It's helpful and comforting, but usually doubly so, because I start thinking of all the people who have kept us in their own thoughts -- and that brings me to why I'm writing this email.

The thoughtfulness for me, for the girls, and for Ben from those who love us has been incredible, and taken so many forms. One of those forms is donations in Ben's name to Ox-Bow. It's hard to put into words how much Ox-Bow meant to Ben, but I feel like I probably don't have to try to do that here, because to know Ben was in most cases to know of Ox-Bow. He loved telling people about it, bringing people to it, and, most of all, being there.

My hope is to raise enough money to establish a permanently endowed scholarship fund in Ben's name. Something that would live on, and something that would do what Ben himself did so many times -- help others experience Ox-Bow.

With much love and appreciation,
Kate