The Florence Academy of Art has grown quickly since it began in 1991. Applicants to our 2006-07 academic year reached 200 leaving many valid students of realism without the possibility to train at our program.

We were fortunate that an exceptional alumnus of great talent wished to return to his home country of Sweden to direct a branch of The Florence Academy of Art
there: Joakim Ericsson. Joakim finished his studies in 2001, returned briefly to Sweden, and came back to Florence in 2002 to become Director of the Painting Program. During his tenure in Florence, Joakim was inspirational to his students in the studio, as both a teacher and a painter. His critiques were demanding and constructive. His artistic accomplishments may be seen on our web site, and in numerous galleries in Europe and the United States.

Joakim will have a private studio in the Mölndal space so students will have the opportunity to see him work. He will be assisted by two graduates of The Florence Academy of Art, Andreas Birath and Hege Haugen, who will also work in private studios on the premises.

The program is an exact replica of the one in Florence: the philosophy, methodology, and attitude towards instruction that guides the Florence studio will be the same in Mölndal. The curriculum will follow the same structure and weekly schedule (Monday-Friday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm): our instructors have all completed the program in Florence so they are trained to use the same language of instruction, didactic material, and teaching methods. Students enrolled in the Gothenburg studio should be able to transfer seamlessly into the same level in Florence, and graduate from the program in the same amount of time.

Mölndal, a small and picturesque community just 10 minutes outside of Gothenburg, was chosen as the site best suited to the new studio. Gothenburg is a university town that offers all of the conveniences and extracurricular activities students want and need. Students may easily live in Gothenburg and study in Mölndal.

Mölndal is a world apart: the studio is located on the top floor of a renovated paper mill. A stream of water gushes past the building, and around it, a landscape of rocky hills and forest flourishes. The community of Mölnldal is devoted to maintaining its tradition of arts and crafts. It hosts a museum of local decorative arts, a theater, and numerous professionals working in art-related fields – from architects to makers of plaster casts and molds.

The studio is roughly 500 square meters (about 5000 square feet) and has been built-out to meet the special needs of the realist painter: custom-designed skylights provide students with north light; studios are semi-private, and accommodate 2-4 people on alternating schedules (students divide their day between studio projects and the model room.) There is a kitchen, and art gallery for student work, and office staff to handle practical questions.