Almost every member of the Bridgeview faculty can trace his lineage to a great 19th century artist. While artists in Western Europe and America were turning towards abstraction, the Russian academies, isolated by the Iron Curtain, adhered to the classical methods of art education.

Bridgeview teachers received the most rigorous academic training.

Russian art training is very similar to ballet or gymnastics, where talented children are selected at a very young age to attend specialized schools, later colleges and ultimately an academy. On average, art training in Russia lasts for 20 years.

Our teachers were educated in real academies, some of them as old as 300 years. They not only drew, painted or sculpted, but also studied anatomy, perspective, art history, composition, and many other disciplines that have not been taught in this country since the 40s or 50s.

Bridgeview School's location is also a special advantage.

Located in Long Island City (Queens), Bridgeview is in the midst of cultural renewal. Its neighbors include PS 1 Contemporary Art Center, the Noguchi Museum, and the Sculpture Center, just to name a few. We are only one subway stop from Manhattan close to several subway lines.

"What I enjoyed most about working with Samuel Kudish was the fact that his passion for art came through in everything he said...He understands the role that honesty plays in making good paintings, and I found this refreshing and incredibly helpful."
~Elizabeth Yoakum, portrait painter.

"Once again, thank you for the wonderful portrait sculpture workshop. Those were five of the best days I've had in a long time. Not only did I learn a great deal, but I felt truely inspired by the atmosphere of the class. It was fun without ever being silly or trivial, serious without being oppressive, and very creative without being false. I will recommend your school to the serious students."
~Ted Sheridan, sculptor and graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia.