Our Campus in
Florence
Daniel Graves chose Florence as the location for his school to surround students with some of the greatest artwork in history. This daily encounter with beauty naturally influences the students’ work, connecting them to the traditions and techniques of the masters of the past.
The academy is housed in a 19th century former customs house just outside the city center, a short walk from the Arno River and the monuments of Florence. The 35,000 square foot space has been transformed into a campus for realism: 30 northerly lit studios, library, gallery, the FAA Cafe, private studios for instructors and apartments for visiting artists. The campus hosts the full time program, workshops, a permanent collection of 19th century academic drawings, and growing collection of drawings, paintings, and sculpture by academy students and instructors, as well as exhibitions and events. Our goal is to make this magnificent location a true community, and a destination for students, artists and anyone interested in figurative realism.
In 2007, The Florence Academy of Art expanded its community by opening a campus in Mölndal, Sweden. This small, picturesque town is just 10 minutes outside of Gothenburg and home to a museum of local decorative arts, a theater, and numerous professionals working in art-related fields. Its proximity to Gothenburg allows students access to all the conveniences and extracurricular activities of a major university town.
The Florence Academy of Art is located on the top floor of a renovated paper mill. Custom-designed skylights provide natural north light to the 5500-square foot space. The Swedish campus is an exact replica of the original academy in Florence related to teaching methodology, standards for graduation, and the physical setup of the studio. Academic Director, Andreas Birath, and his instructors are graduates of the program and therefore trained in the philosophy and methodology guiding the Florence studio. As a result, students may transfer seamlessly into the same level among Florence and Mölndal without experiencing any difference in the curriculum or instructional language.
In Sweden, students of all levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) work together under one roof, allowing beginners to see and learn from the challenges and progress of students farther along in the program. In addition, all of the instructors work in studios on school premises, allowing students to benefit not only from daily instruction and critique but also from watching the professional artist at work. This relationship, developed over many hours spent together in the studio, is significant to the general atmosphere of the school and is considered fundamental to the student’s development.
Our Campus in
New Jersey
The Master of Arts in Studio Art Program is housed on St. Peter’s University campus in Jersey City, NJ. Twelve minutes by PATH train from New York, St. Peter’s provides an unparalleled location for creating and experiencing art. Students will be close to a large and vivacious art scene easily reached by public transportation, while supported by the structure and amenities of the university and surrounding neighborhood. Set on 30 acres, the campus facilities available to all students include the Fine Arts Gallery located at the MacMahon Student Center, as well as proximity to housing, shops, and services for all of our students’ practical needs.
