JERSERY CITY, NJ.- The Florence Academy of Art, a widely respected atelier renowned for its teaching of classical painting techniques, announces the opening of its first stateside branch at Mana Contemporary in Jersey City, NJ. The new academy commenced instruction in January 2015. It is an exact replica of the original school in Florence, Italy, which also has a location in Mölndal, Sweden. Students studying in any one of the academy’s three locations may transfer seamlessly between Europe and Mana.

Approximately 20 select students will work under natural light in a 10,000-square-foot studio on Mana’s third floor. Students will work through the three-year certificate curriculum in Drawing and Painting, or as part of the intensive workshops. The academy students will also become part of Mana’s creative community and enjoy access to the art complex’s variety of exhibitions and shared resources, such as its foundry, silkscreen studio, frame shop, and packing and shipping facilities. Studio visits by curators, collectors, and other art world professionals are also held throughout the year.

The campus will be led by Academic Director Jordan Sokol, a graduate of the program, with painters Richard Greathouse and Amaya Gurpide as its principal instructors. Each has been rigorously trained in the school’s philosophy, instruction language, and methodology.

“We are thrilled to be the first U.S. location for The Florence Academy of Art,” says Eugene Lemay, Mana’s president. “The prospect of introducing our community to an influx of painting students with the level of talent required by the academy is very exciting for us.”

“We're very excited to be here,” says Sokol. “This new branch at Mana offers our students the opportunity to engage with the lively artistic community here, as well as the diverse cultural and creative influences of New York City. Through the broadening of our school, we are able to broaden the spectrum of our students’ education and their artistic vocabulary.”

Under the direction of Daniel Graves, The Florence Academy of Art has shown dedication to rigorous academic training in drawing, painting, and sculpture throughout its 25 years of its existence. The school operates a campuses in Florence, Italy; Mölndal, Sweden; and Jersey City, NJ. The program's instructors and graduates include some of the most imaginative figurative and representational painters and sculptors on the contemporary scene.