Introducing a cohort of accomplished graduates from our full-time painting and sculpting programs, the Graduate in Residence program at the Florence Academy of Art has attracted talent from diverse backgrounds, united by a common passion for figurative art. Each artist selected for this program has shown exceptional talent and dedication to their studies, and brings a unique artistic vision to the FAA community, where they continue to refine their skills, explore new horizons, and inspire one another.

As Graduates in Residence, they are granted access to studio spaces where they can continue learning, creating new work, and building their portfolios, all while gaining invaluable experience as assistant instructors.

Below, we delve into the stories and aspirations of our Graduates in residence of the 2023-2024 Academic Year: Rob Wegh and Gabriel Schwaab from the Sculpture Program, and Daniel Zalla, Tatiana Popova, Lukas Freudenberg, and Matteo Persiani from the Drawing and Painting Programs as they embark on this transformative year of artistic growth and exploration.

Rob Wegh


Rob Wegh working on a life size figure sculpture

Rob Wegh is a figurative artist, specialized in sculpting and drawing. Currently Rob is working as a sculptor between Italy and the Netherlands.

Rob graduated high school at VWO level in 2020 at the Citadel College in Lent, the Netherlands. After graduating he moved to Florence, Italy where he started his education at The Florence Academy of Art. Rob followed the three-year Sculpture Program and received multiple scholarships based on his level of dedication and craftsmanship. He graduated from The Florence Academy of Art in the summer of 2023 and won the “Best Sculpture of the Year” award with his final project.

Rob Wegh’s life-size figure sculpture completed during his last trimester of the Sculpture Program at FAA

“For my upcoming year as a Graduate in Residence at The Florence Academy of Art, I will be working on further improving my progress as a sculptor. I have plans to implement my own life experiences and emotions connecting to those moments in my work and I will be doing this by studying dance and finding inspiration in the movement of the body. I really enjoy working life-size, so I will continue to do so. I will be teaching at The Florence Academy of Art and helping new students improve their skills in sculpting and drawing. I have had the pleasure to teach what I know at Figura in Amsterdam and at the University of Amsterdam. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience, and I am looking forward doing this at FAA.
In the upcoming year as Graduate in Residence I also hope to learn how to work on my own as I will be working on projects without supervision of a teacher. I am going to be applying what I have learned in the three years at the FAA and finding my own way of working.”

To see more of Rob’s work, please visit:
Instagram: @robwegh

Gabriel Schwaab

Gabriel Schwaab working on a 3/4 life size figure sculpture

Gabriel Schwaab was born in 1998 in France, in a village named La Roche-Blanche. A young sculptor by passion, Gabriel is presently enrolled at The Florence Academy of Art.

Gabriel’s educational journey followed a conventional path until middle school, when his inherent love for drawing steered him towards specializing in graphic arts during high school. Upon graduating from high school at the age of 18, Gabriel embarked on an art journey by pursuing a degree at the Emile Cohl School in Lyon. This institution, renowned for illustration and 2D animation, not only honed his drawing skills but also introduced him to the world of sculpture.

During the three years of his degree program, Gabriel discovered that the realm of fine art resonated more profoundly with him than illustration. This realization led him to the decision that upon completing his studies in illustration, his path lay in acquiring expertise in painting and academic sculpture. This conviction led Gabriel to apply to The Florence Academy of Art and in 2020, he enrolled in their esteemed program. Despite his passion for sculpture, he initially embarked on the Intensive Drawing Program while simultaneously pursuing his sculpting endeavors in the evenings. It wasn’t until 2021 that Gabriel took the step to transition fully into the sculpture program, where he found immense fulfillment.

Gabriel Schwaab’s 3/4 life size figure sculpture completed while in the Sculpture Program at FAA

“After three years of studying sculpture at The Florence Academy of Art, I have the opportunity to extend my stay as an artist-in-residence for an additional year. During this period, I intend to learn to work autonomously, efficiently organize my schedule, and most importantly, develop themes and subjects that are deeply meaningful to me. Furthermore, I will have the privilege of participating in teaching drawing, which fills me with enthusiasm. Sharing my knowledge with others is a value that is particularly dear to me. I firmly believe that teaching is a powerful means for an artist to progress both personally and technically. This year will also allow me to dedicate time to anticipate post-school plans by developing my own website and establishing partnerships with galleries, among other projects. My ambition is that by the end of this academic year, I will be capable of independently pursuing my projects, enhancing my artistic maturity, and embarking on a path towards professionalism.”

To see more of Gabriel’s work, please visit:
Instagram: @gabriel.schwaab

Daniel Zalla

Daniel Zalla in his apartment in Florence

Daniel Zalla grew up in Northern Kentucky. His early interest in art was fostered by a supportive family which allowed him the opportunity to take private lessons from a young age. He attended high school in Covington, Kentucky, only three blocks from the childhood home of the great American painter, Frank Duveneck. Covington Latin School shared a block of the city with the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption which holds the only mural sized paintings Frank Duveneck made in his career. These works, and the collection of the Cincinnati Art Museum had a profound impact on Daniel in the direction of realism, and led him to pursue a BFA from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Halfway through his college career he made his first visit to Italy to study art in Rome and Florence. He attended a workshop at The Florence Academy of Art where he was introduced to the sight-size method and drawing from life. These experiences motivated his pursuit of a more technical training in oil painting, and after graduating from Xavier, he enrolled in The Florence Academy of Art as a full-time student. Daniel has now been accepted as a Graduate in Residence at the Academy, focusing on painting the figure, portraiture, still life and landscape. His travels to the great museums of Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands have opened his eyes to the power art can truly have. As he looks forward into his artistic career his primary goal in painting is telling a story that moves the soul.

Daniel Zalla’s final project, “The Print Collector”, completed in his last trimester of the Advanced Painting Program at FAA

“I am eager to use this Fourth Year Residency program to delve deeper into the practice of portraiture and figurative painting. With the support of a sturdy foundation forged here at The Florence Academy of Art, I want to continue on the path of artistic discovery, in both technical aspects of my paint application, as well as in pursuit of a personal artistic vision. With each new compositional challenge, I want to begin answering the question, “What do I wish to say through my artwork?” Outside of my own studio practice, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to teach and, through teaching, verbalise and clarify my own process. In general, I am simply grateful to be able to stay in this community of driven and inspirational painters, where we can all learn from each other and grow together.”

To see more of Daniel’s work, please visit:
Website: www.danielzalla.com
Instagram: @danielzalla.art

Tatiana Popova


Tatiana Popova at work on her final project

Tatiana Popova, born in 2001, is a Russian figurative realist painter currently based in Florence, Italy. Her style of work was formed greatly by principles of Russian Academic Art, which she was taught from a young age. For over 6 years, Tatiana attended the well-known Academy of Watercolour and Fine Arts in Moscow and built a great foundation for future paintings. Inspired by works of European ateliers of the 19th and 20th Centuries, she made the decision in 2020 to move to Italy and study at The Florence Academy of Art.

Since then, she has expanded her knowledge of Art History, the language capacity of depicting nature and the beauty of creating real art. Her works have changed and become more truthful to real life, but still remain vibrant in their colours and dramatic lighting. Now, as one of the Graduates in Residence at The Florence Academy of Art, Tatiana is still learning how to improve her skills upon observing the works of old masters. She has a vision for upcoming grand projects that will allow her to establish herself as an individual artist.

Tatiana Popova’s Self portrait “Two Sides of a Coin”, completed while in the Advanced Painting program at FAA

“I am looking forward to being a Graduate in Residence at The Florence Academy of Art. I am excited to work on my first personal projects as an individual artist and make my first steps in my artistic career, still under the guidance of the FAA instructors. I would like to settle more on my stylistic choices and decide upon the themes that I would like to explore in my works. My colleagues share the same passion for painting as I do and another year with such a devoted group will be very inspiring. As I receive feedback from instructors and begin assistant teaching myself, I’m curious about how this will influence my artistic development. I take this opportunity of being an assistant teacher with full responsibility and I know how beneficial it will be to refresh in my memory the foundational principles of drawing and painting and review my own training with new students. Overall, I am happy to spend another year in the great environment created by the school.”

To see more of Tatiana’s work, please visit:
Website: www.popovatatiana.com
Instagram: @nisha_tanisha_

Lukas Freudenberg

Lukas Freudenberg Plein Air panting

Lukas Freudenberg is a German painter who was born and raised in Munich, Germany. From a young age he was interested in art but it was not until he was 15 years old that he decided to dedicate his life to studying and pursuing classical realism. It was at this age that his grandmother, who studied art history, noticed his interest and took him on a week long visit to Florence to introduce him to the realm of classical art. After this trip, Lukas felt a strong attraction towards the city of Florence and classical realism.

Four years later, after finishing high school in Germany, Lukas wasted no time and began his journey at The Florence Academy of Art, applying to the three year Certificate program in Drawing and Painting. After finishing the program, Lukas was awarded a position as a Graduate in Residence and he will continue to work at The Florence Academy of Art for an additional year, teaching one day a week and working on personal projects.

Lukas Freudenberg’s final project, completed in his last trimester of the Advanced Painting Program at FAA

“The Fourth Year at The Florence Academy of Art to me is the perfect opportunity to begin the transition from being a student to being a professional artist. I am thrilled to learn how to organize a studio, make my own schedule, as well as have the experience of handing down the knowledge that I have acquired over these past years to the next generation of artists.
I have many ideas for a multitude of paintings I want to explore during this year, and I am motivated to set a good example for all the students still studying in the program.
Lastly, I want to mention how grateful I am to have my time extended in a community that has grown so important and dear to me, and to be able to continue working in an environment surrounded by people that I have such a strong connection to.”

To see more of Lukas’s work, please visit:
Website: Avrian Art Gallery
Instagram: @lukasfreudenberg.art

Matteo Persiani

Matteo Persiani in his studio at The Florence Academy of Art

Matteo Persiani was born in Rome in 1996. He began his artistic education with a local painter, working on the basic skills of drawing and oil painting. In 2020, he enrolled at The Florence Academy of Art, and in 2023 he graduated from the Painting Program. He has been awarded with the “Artist in Residence” prize and has been teaching as an assistant in various workshops.

Matteo Persiani, “Sara”, Oil on Canvas, 40 x 50 cm, 2023

“Over this next year, I want to fully take advantage of this opportunity before me, allowing me to delve into various aspects of my work and achieve personal goals. One will be the creation of a solid body of work that will reflect personal research and interests. In particular, I intend to explore more personal topics that resonate with my sensitivity and my vision of the world. This thematic research will be coupled with constant work on my technical skills, as I believe these two aspects should go hand in hand in order to tell a story in the most effective way.
Having a studio will be a great opportunity to understand how to organize my work space when outside of the academic environment. Additionally, it will provide me with the chance to learn how to manage schedules of models. Lastly, I am looking forward to teaching first year students. I had the opportunity to teach workshop students and it was a great experience, not only for the knowledge acquired as a teacher, but also for the improvements that teaching brings into one’s personal work.
I cannot wait to start this new journey.”

To see more of Matteo’s work, please visit:
Instagram: @matteopersianiart