An Artistic Community
When the school was first founded, it began as a small studio in the gardens of a Florentine palace owned by the Corsini family. Through word of mouth, a handful of students came to study with Daniel Graves. From these modest beginnings, our community has steadily grown: today, our community counts 175 students across Florence, Sweden, and the United States, as well as more than 600 graduates from our three-year Certificate Programs. Thanks to social media and our alumni network, we remain closely connected with much of our global community. Of our graduates, 80% are working artists, exhibiting in solo and group shows, participating in international salons and competitions, or maintaining gallery representation and active professional practices. 30% are teaching the methods they learned here, including 67 who have founded atelier-style schools or work in established institutions such as The Florence Academy of Art. A further 5% work in related creative fields, including the film and game industries.
– Daniel Graves, Founder
“When asked to speak about the Academy, I find myself telling the story of its development, or the daily routine of studio life. What I cannot describe but see so vividly are the faces of the hundreds of students who have studied with us, and the many hundreds of drawings, paintings, and sculptures they have made. This, for me, is the true value of The Florence Academy of Art.”
– Daniel Graves, Founder
Rooted in Florence,
Built on Community
The FAA is a vibrant artistic community. Students are surrounded by peers from around the world who share a deep commitment to figurative realism. Several instructors maintain on-campus studios where they paint or sculpt independently, teaching from direct experience as working artists. Throughout the year, students have opportunities to view their instructors’ work, engage in conversations beyond the classroom, and gain insight into what it means to sustain a professional artistic practice beyond formal study. This proximity creates ongoing opportunities for informal mentorship, observation, and inspiration beyond scheduled instruction.
After graduation from the three-year Certificate Program, a select number of students are invited to remain on campus as Graduates in Residence, where they are provided with dedicated studio space for independent work over the course of an academic year. Serving as role models for incoming students, they exemplify the discipline, standards, and rigor required to progress through the Drawing & Painting or Sculpture programs. These graduates are selected by faculty for their strong command of the FAA curriculum and their commitment to deepening their artistic practice.
The Academy’s community extends well beyond graduation through The FAA Collective, a strong alumni network that connects graduates through exhibitions, residencies, and collaborative opportunities. This includes a weekly open evening drawing session, where alumni, faculty, and students draw from the live model together on campus. Social and communal traditions such as Friday Art History Lectures, weekly aperitivo, and open studios further shape an environment that is both rigorous in its pursuit of excellence and deeply supportive.
To be part of this community is to understand that we are not owners of this knowledge, but stewards of it, responsible for teaching future generations of artists committed to academic training. That is why we have introduced our MA program, and are now training a new generation of teachers who actively bring traditional methods into primary and secondary classrooms across the US and beyond. Teaching is not only about technique; it is about continuity. It is a way of carrying forward a living tradition rooted in centuries of artistic practice. The Florence Academy of Art has long been recognized for preserving and revitalizing traditional methods in drawing, painting, and sculpture, and it is this commitment that has allowed its community to continue growing, evolving, and extending its influence worldwide.
