Everyone can learn.

The atelier model.

Our studio courses share a building with the three-year Certificate Program. Same roof, same light, same instructors, same method. As a course participant you work within earshot of students at every stage of their training. You see where the work leads. You’re welcome to join the evening lectures when the program is running. And when a third-year student is working next to you, you can ask her anything. That’s the atelier model: knowledge circulating in every direction, not just from teacher to student.

Your pace, your terms.

Never drawn before and not sure you belong here? You do. Show up, all materials are provided, and the curriculum meets you where you are. Time at the easel is all it takes, and every hour counts.

Experienced and ambitious but unable to commit to a full-time program? The instructors who push our three-year students will push you just as hard. Say the word.

Either way, the method is the same. What changes is the tempo.

A room where it’s safe
to get it wrong.

Getting better at something difficult means getting it wrong, repeatedly, in front of other people. That only works if the room feels safe enough to take those risks. People who come here tend to notice it quickly: the atmosphere is focused but generous. Your background, your level, your reasons for being here are yours. The work is the only thing that matters. It’s why people come back.

Have a question or want to take a tour around the school? Get in touch!

In the 8-week course, students will learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting in a program very similar to that experienced by our full-time students. Florence Academy faculty will guide students through a variety of exercises taken from our 3 year academic program so they can experience the full education that we have to offer. All skill levels welcome. Learn more>

Our spring and summer intensive courses give students a chance to study a subject intensely. We provide 6 hours of guided learning over 5 days for each course. Students can sign up for additional courses to extend their studies. Choose length of study and pick your topics: Figure Drawing, Figure Painting, Still Life, Portrait from model, Self Portrait, Academic exercises. Learn more>

We occasionally offer shorter, specialized courses as part of our Spring and Summer Sessions. Check the Spring / Summer menu for current offerings and dates.

Our weekend programs run every other Saturday throughout the academic year and offer two distinct tracks: Print Making & Drawing, where students learn a wide range of traditional printmaking techniques rooted in observational drawing, and Écorché Sculpture, where students sculpt the full human skeleton and musculature in oil-based clay. Both courses combine structured instruction with independent studio time, and welcome all levels of experience.