By Peter Kounitski, FAA Student at The Florence Academy of Art

Class of 2026

The end of the Academic Year is an exciting and busy time at The Florence Academy of Art. With the city in full bloom, the Academy’s studios are alive with students and Graduates in Residence working hard to bring their drawings, paintings, sculptures, and etchings to a close. In the final months, The Drawing & Painting, Sculpture, and Foundation in Graphic Arts programs all come together to share their results of months of dedicated study, offering students, family, and friends the opportunity to celebrate these achievements in various open studio events and our concluding End of Year Ceremony where we recognize exceptional works by students and recognize those who have completed the Full-Time Certificate Program. This year, we are proud to welcome 38 artists into the ranks of the more than 650 alumni of the FAA’s Drawing & Painting and Sculpture Certificate Program from our locations in Florence and Sweden. Read more below to share in celebrating a few of our End of Year Highlights from 2026! 

The first open studio of the season was that of our Painting Graduates in Residence: Silvia de Arcangelis, Laura Espinosa, Jikke ten Cate, and Andrea Kirlieva, who exhibited a substantial body of work, including numerous portraits depicting fellow students and members of the Academy community.

Graduates in Residence of the Drawing & Painting Program, Jikke Ten Cate, Silvia De Arcangelis, Andrea Kirlieva and Laura Espinosa in their studio right before the opening

The event began with remarks and toasts from Academic Director Tom Richards and Founder Daniel Graves, who encouraged the artists as they move on to the next steps in their careers. Reflecting on the transition from formal study to independent practice, Graves, who mentored the resident graduates throughout the year, said in his speech: “Now [you] have to make the decision of what is it that you love, what is it that you care about, and how to paint it. The amazing enthusiasm that all four of [the Graduates in Residence] have shown toward their work in trying to develop what they have inside should be inspiring to all of you.”

We look forward to following the next chapters of their artistic journeys!

 Inside the Graduates in Residence Open Studio

FAA Student Tatiana Insova Lucero and Academic Director Tom Richards

At the Sculpture Open Studio, our Full-Time Sculpture Certificate students presented a wide range of works. From beginning students who had recently begun working on half life-size figures to graduating students completing life-size figure sculptures, the exhibition demonstrated the breadth of study within the program.

Figure Drawing by Rubén Darío Astudillo Ortega, Sculpture by Li Alexander Weng

Figure drawings from the Sculpture Drawing program on display

While each student yields a unique hand, the underlying principles of anatomy, structure, and form were evident throughout the exhibited works. From quick and expressive sketches in clay to highly resolved portraits, the sculpture studios showcased an impressive range of approaches and accomplishments. On-display alongside the many sculptural works were the figure drawings from the Sculpture Drawing program, a fundamental component of the training that develops students’ observational skills and understanding of the human figure.

Gabriel Montechiari e Silva, Sculpture Graduate in Residence, at work on a multifigural composition

Sculpture Graduate in Residence Gabriel Montechiari e Silva exhibited his work beside the students, presenting the projects he developed over the course of the year while serving as an assistant instructor with fellow Graduate Ronja Arleij. The works reflected both Gabriel’s continued artistic growth and his contributions to the educational life of the Academy. As he prepares for the next stages of their careers, we look forward to seeing how their practices continue to evolve.

FAA Foundation in Graphic Arts Students and Faculty after the Foundation Certificate Ceremony

Foundation in Graphic Arts students received their Certificates of Completion from Program Director Andrew Waller on June 5th, prior to their Open Studio event. Celebrating its second cohort of students to complete the program, the Foundation program continues to offer one of the most varied curricula at The Florence Academy of Art, introducing students to a broad range of media including charcoal, sanguine, ink, and etching.

Self-portrait final projects by Foundation students: Alexis Williams, Claire Cochran, Monty Mayhew

Inside the Intermediate program’s Display of figure drawings and paintings at the Open Studio

Just prior to the End of Year Ceremony, students in the Drawing & Painting Program opened their studios to visitors, displaying works completed throughout the academic year. Every studio was filled with guests observing cast and figure drawings from the Intensive Drawing program, works in drawing and painting from the Intermediate program, and still lifes, portraits, figure paintings, and final projects from the Advanced Painting program. The exhibition provided a comprehensive view of the progression of study within the full-time certificate program and attracted considerable interest from visitors throughout the evening.

Scenes from the Drawing and Painting Open Studio and student artworks by: Daisy Sims-Hilditch, Finn Knapp, Julian Vincent Browne, Jacques Viljoen, Alice Pearson, and Alisa Paastela

Before the End of Year Ceremony in the FAA Gallery

Following the Drawing & Painting Open Studio, the FAA Gallery welcomed students, faculty, family, and friends from around the world for a ceremony celebrating the achievements of the academic year. The event honored outstanding works produced throughout the year and contributions of students to the community, marked the awarding of Certificates to graduates of the Full-Time Drawing & Painting and Sculpture Programs, and announced the next cohort of Graduates in Residence: Rubén Darío Astudillo Ortega, Isabelle Blinn, Dorota Bojarska, Matthew Hall Fong, Finn Knapp, and Hortense Malaval.

Awards were presented across the Academy’s programs by faculty members and program directors. 

Director of Intensive Drawing Simona Dolci recognized students Amar Buuczuud, Alisa Paastela, Ayumu Yanagisawa, and Yoku Hazal Erdogan. The FAA Community Award was given to student Nicole David.

Intermediate Program Director Toby Neve awarded Vilmer Hillborg, Julian Vincent Browne, Cade Sever, and Giorgia Liuzzo.

Director of Anatomy and Écorché Maudie Brady recognized Alisa Paastela, Philip Kolev, Julian Vincent Browne, and Peter Kounitski. 

Director of Sculpture Mitch Shea awarded Li Alexander Weng and Matija Popovčić. 

Sculpture Drawing Director Ola Alaa El-Din Aly recognized Rubén Darío Astudillo Ortega, Matija Popovčić, and Dorota Bojarska. 

Advanced Painting Director Ramiro Sanchez awarded Pablo Brandt, Hortense Malaval, Jacques Viljoen, Matthew Hall Fong, Daisy Sims-Hilditch, and Finn Knapp.

The FAA Community Award was given to Nicole David, Intensive Drawing student 

The celebration concluded with a lively aperitivo in the FAA Courtyard, where members of the Academy community gathered to commemorate the accomplishments of the graduating class and wish them success in the years ahead.

Congratulations to the FAA Class of 2026!

Recent FAA Graduates Faye Conway and Elizabeth Guo

Aperitivo in Piazza dei Tintori after the End of Year Ceremony

Photos courtesy of Berfin Bozkurt, Tatiana Popova, and Alberto Feltrin