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Fifteen-Week Courses (Open Academy)
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Open Academy: Painting Practices, FY 111
with Michael Gallagher
Mondays, 8:30 AM – 11:30 PM (includes option to add afternoons, 1 – 4 PM, for full-day attendance—see description)
Instructor: Michael Gallagher
Fifteen-Week Open Academy Course (45–90 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 2.0/3.0 Undergraduate Credits (See Below)
PAFA's Open Academy courses offer CE and non-matriculated students the opportunity to experience PAFA's comprehensive certificate-level instruction on a course-by-course basis. Credits earned are eligible for transfer into PAFA's Fine Arts Certificate program. Note: Early Bird and Membership Discounts do not apply. For additional course options, please see Continuing Education's regular course offerings.
Composition is the structural foundation of the creative process. Learn to build stronger paintings by incorporating the essential principles of design into your work. Develop the ability to recognize and establish rhythmic relationships among two-dimensional shapes, light and dark values, and color harmonies to achieve a unified artistic expression. Instruction emphasizes color, space, and drawing concepts. Course Modality: In person.
Optional: This course is available as a half-day course for 2.0 undergraduate credits for $1,800. For the full-day option (morning, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM, and afternoon, 1 – 4 PM), this course is available for $2,900 non-credit or $3,600 for 3.0 undergraduate credits*. Select the course length and credit option with the tuition adjustment during checkout.
* See the policy guide below for information about transferring credits.
Register by: August 19
Materials will be addressed via PAFA's Canvas online platform (if applicable) or on the first day of class.
Please review CE's Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Notes: Extended Studio Courses are not eligible for PAFA membership or promotional discounts.
A minimum 10% fee applies to withdrawals, including same-day withdrawals. Students are advised to confirm their schedules before registering.
Open Academy: Intaglio Printmaking, FY113
with Tony Rosati
Tuesdays, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Instructor: Tony Rosati
Fifteen-Week Open Academy Course (45 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 2.0 Undergraduate Credits (See Below)
PAFA's Open Academy courses offer CE and non-matriculated students the opportunity to experience PAFA's comprehensive certificate-level instruction on a course-by-course basis. Credits earned are eligible for transfer into PAFA's Fine Arts Certificate program. Note: Early Bird and Membership Discounts do not apply. For additional course options, please see Continuing Education's regular course offerings.
This course introduces a variety of intaglio techniques, including drypoint and etched processes, as well as solar plate and collagraph methods. Instruction emphasizes creative drawing while establishing foundational printmaking practices. Students develop technical proficiency, gain confidence and ease, and explore self-expression through intaglio processes. Instruction also includes an overview of the history of intaglio through presentations and museum visits. Intaglio Printmaking is a prerequisite for PR 252 Intermediate Intaglio. Course Modality: In person.
Optional: This course is also available for 2.0 undergraduate credits* for $1,800. Select the credit option with the tuition adjustment during checkout.
* See the policy guide below for information about transferring credits.
Register by: August 19
Materials will be addressed via PAFA's Canvas online platform (if applicable) or on the first day of class.
Please review CE's Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Notes: Open Academy courses are not eligible for PAFA membership or promotional discounts.
A minimum 10% fee applies to withdrawals, including same-day withdrawals. Students are advised to confirm their schedules before registering.
Open Academy: Structural and Spatial Drawing, FY 114
with Jill A. Rupinski
Wednesdays, 8:30 AM – 11:30 PM (includes option to add afternoons, 1 – 4 PM, for full-day attendance—see description)
Instructor: Jill A. Rupinski
Fifteen-Week Open Academy Course (45–90 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 2.0/3.0 Undergraduate Credits (See Below)
PAFA's Open Academy courses offer CE and non-matriculated students the opportunity to experience PAFA's comprehensive certificate-level instruction on a course-by-course basis. Credits earned are eligible for transfer into PAFA's Fine Arts Certificate program. Note: Early Bird and Membership Discounts do not apply. For additional course options, please see Continuing Education's regular course offerings.
The ability to depict objects in space is essential to representational drawing, and understanding these principles is fundamental to manipulating them for expressive and abstract effects. Gain a firm foundation in the concepts and terminology of perspective while practicing linear perspective drawing using both grid-based and freehand techniques. Instruction focuses on the interpretation of space, the organization of objects within space, and the relationships of relative proportion. Course content defines and examines a variety of methods for representing three-dimensional objects on a flat, two-dimensional surface, including orthographic, oblique, and isometric drawing systems. Course Modality: In person.
Optional: This course is available as a half-day course for 2.0 undergraduate credits for $1,800. For the full-day option (morning, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM, and afternoon, 1 – 4 PM), this course is available for $2,900 non-credit or $3,600 for 3.0 undergraduate credits*. Select the course length and credit option with the tuition adjustment during checkout.
* See the policy guide below for information about transferring credits.
Register by: August 19
Materials will be addressed via PAFA's Canvas online platform (if applicable) or on the first day of class.
Please review CE's Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Notes: Extended Studio Courses are not eligible for PAFA membership or promotional discounts.
A minimum 10% fee applies to withdrawals, including same-day withdrawals. Students are advised to confirm their schedules before registering.
Open Academy: Figure Modeling, FY 117
with John Horn
Thursdays, 8:30 AM – 11:30 PM (includes option to add afternoons, 1 – 4 PM, for full-day attendance—see description)
Instructor: John Horn
Fifteen-Week Open Academy Course (45 – 90 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 2.0/3.0 Undergraduate Credits (See Below)
Note: No class on November 26 (Thanksgiving Break)
PAFA's Open Academy courses offer CE and non-matriculated students the opportunity to experience PAFA's comprehensive certificate-level instruction on a course-by-course basis. Credits earned are eligible for transfer into PAFA's Fine Arts Certificate program. Note: Early Bird and Membership Discounts do not apply. For additional course options, please see Continuing Education's regular course offerings.
This first-year-level comprehensive figure modeling course focuses on geometry, anatomy, and proportion, as well as the crucial elements of gesture, rhythm, spontaneity, and the spirit of form-making. Students are encouraged to work in a variety of sizes. Independent study and experimentation are always encouraged, and outside projects should be expected. Broader topics, including the nature, history, and philosophy of figurative art, are also discussed. Course Modality: In person.
Optional: This course is available as a half-day course for 2.0 undergraduate credits for $1,800. For the full-day option (morning, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM, and afternoon, 1 – 4 PM), this course is available for $2,900 non-credit or $3,600 for 3.0 undergraduate credits*. Select the course length and credit option with the tuition adjustment during checkout.
* See the policy guide below for information about transferring credits.
Register by: August 19
Materials will be addressed via PAFA's Canvas online platform (if applicable) or on the first day of class.
Please review CE's Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Notes: Open Academy Courses are not eligible for PAFA membership or promotional discounts. A minimum 10% fee applies to withdrawals, including same-day withdrawals. Students are advised to confirm their schedules before registering.
Open Academy: Inventive Drawing, FY 122
with Steve Nocella
Fridays, 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Instructor: Steve Nocella
Fifteen-Week Open Academy Course (45 Hours)
Credit: Non-Credit or 2.0 Undergraduate Credits (See Below)
Note: No class on November 27 (Thanksgiving Break)
PAFA's Open Academy courses offer CE and non-matriculated students the opportunity to experience PAFA's comprehensive certificate-level instruction on a course-by-course basis. Credits earned are eligible for transfer into PAFA's Fine Arts Certificate program. Note: Early Bird and Membership Discounts do not apply. For additional course options, please see Continuing Education's regular course offerings.
This drawing class focuses on the invention of images based on imagination rather than copying physical objects through observational techniques. Explore the formation of images based on ideas, mark-making, and personal expression. Apply the principles of drawing with a more open-ended approach that includes exploring abstract and symbolic forms, interpreting compositional implications, and remaining receptive to how the creative process informs image-making. Work in a variety of conventional drawing media, including charcoal, graphite, and ink, as well as alternative materials and techniques. Methods may include using photographs and found reference materials, as well as creating single- or multi-panel narrative drawings. Classwork includes both prompted assignments and self-directed projects, emphasizing individuality and independent thinking. Course Modality: In person.
Optional: This course is also available for 2.0 undergraduate credits* for $1,800. Select the credit option with the tuition adjustment during checkout.
* See the policy guide below for information about transferring credits.
Image Credit: Topiaries by Jane Lund funds provided by Robert and Frances Coulborn Kohler in PAFA Collection.
Register by: August 19
Materials will be addressed via PAFA's Canvas online platform (if applicable) or on the first day of class.
Please review CE's Fall 2026 Policy Guide, including Withdrawal/Refund Policies, prior to registering.
Notes: Open Academy courses are not eligible for PAFA membership or promotional discounts.
A minimum 10% fee applies to withdrawals, including same-day withdrawals. Students are advised to confirm their schedules before registering.