Advanced Painting Intensive
VA S4105D - 6 POINTS
SESSION A: May 26–July 4, 2025
INSTRUCTOR: TBD
VISUAL ARTS
SUMMER 2025
The Advanced Painting Intensive offers personalized mentorship to up to twelve students through individual and group critique, technical tutorials, workshops, and insights into the New York gallery and museum scenes. Participants will also benefit from lectures and critiques by nationally recognized visiting artists.
The six-week, six-credit workshop is structured similarly to Columbia’s MFA degree program and is designed for individuals seeking to challenge and advance their artistic skills in an immersive and supportive environment. The workshop aims to help participants develop a strong visual portfolio and a comprehensive written package suitable for MFA programs applications.
The Advanced Painting Intensive features the following elements:
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Individual studio spaces on 115th Street and Broadway, New York City
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Individual critiques by faculty
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Group critiques
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Lectures by nationally known artists
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Studio visits of NY artists
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Visits to galleries, institutions, and museums in the NYC area
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Tutorials on assembling portfolios appropriate for applications to MFA programs
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A seminar on career development
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A workshop on the development of a strong artist statement
TO APPLY
Students interested in the Advanced Painting Intensive must submit a portfolio of 10 images of their work for review. You must also include a Statement of Intent that is up to 500 words with your educational background, including degrees and independent courses, and your reasons for applying to the program. Accepted students can register for the course upon notification. Applications will open in March—check back soon for more information.
Program Elements
The Advanced Painting Intensive is a full-time immersion program modeled on the MFA program, and students must be able to dedicate the full 6 weeks to participating in classes, field trips and studio practice. Meetings will be held Monday-Friday between 10am-6pm.
Slide Presentation
Early in the first week of the program each artist will give a brief slide presentation of their work.
Individual critiques
This is the core of the program. Each artist will be visited by the two primary faculty in their studios to discuss, evaluate and encourage growth and clarity in their studio production. Conversations in this setting can be wide ranging, extending beyond direct discussion of works of art to discussions of films, novels, science, history and beyond. All studio exchanges are intended to enrich and broaden the scope and depth of each artist’s work and thinking.
Visiting Artist’s Lecture
Each week a prominent painter will present a lecture followed by an individual studio visit with each artist in the program. Four lectures will be held in weeks two through five. Past Visiting Artists have included Jessica Dickinson, Jackie Gendel, Josephine Halvorson, Marc Handelman, David Humphrey, Patricia Treib, and Stephen Westfall.
Group Critique
A group critique will be held at the end of week three of the program. Each artist will present their work to the group over the course of the day to receive critical and constructive feedback from faculty and fellow students.
Professional Practice Seminar
This two-part seminar will serve to develop each artist’s skills in areas such as writing artists statements and grant applications, presenting work in formal lectures, and learning to evaluate and connect to resources and opportunities. This class will be taught by a specialist in professional development for artists. Additionally, the primary faculty will be available for consultation regarding the quality and character of various graduate programs throughout the United States.
Critical Issues Seminar
A weekly seminar will be held with readings and discussion on key issues in contemporary art. Readings for this class will be provided in advance of each week’s seminar.
NYC Field Trips
Frequent both guided and unguided visits to museums and galleries in New York City will be a part of each week’s programming.
Final Exhibition
At the end of the program in week six there will be an exhibition of student work at the LeRoy Neiman Gallery, Columbia University School of the Arts, to celebrate and view the work completed in the program.
The Painting Intensive is a full-time immersion program, and students must be able to dedicate the full 6 weeks to participating in classes, field trips and studio practice. Classes will be held Monday – Friday.