Word from the Bridgeview founder
New! Online exhibit of Russian academic drawings
Programs
- International
Students
- Youth
Program
Portfolio Preparation
LaGuardia School, FIT, Pratt, Cooper Union, SVA, etc
Faculty
Student Gallery
Location and Contact Information
Artwork by John Murray, Bridgeview co-founder
Tel. (718) 937-1300
Based on my portfolio review I was admitted into a one year preparation course that is designed for those who want to apply to become degree students at the Repin Academy. I don't plan to become a degree student at the Academy, but I am using this course to improve my skills in painting and drawing. I study in a group of 20 students, mostly young women, aged 19 - 25 who after completing this course will be taking an examination in drawing, painting and composition in July 2008. These students were admitted into got into this preparation program based on their portfolio, they are all Russian and most of them came from other parts of Russia. Most of them are art college graduates.
This preparation program is a Monday through Friday 5 hours a day course divided into 2 hours of drawing and 3 hours of painting. In addition, there are optional evening classes in drawing, painting and anatomy. There is a drawing teacher Gennadiy Isaev and a painting teacher Maxim Morgunov who work with the group every day. They are graduate students and they are excellent teachers.
Here you can see photos from our class. Once in two months students get graded with the highest grade being 5 (which nobody ever gets) and a lowest grade being 2 (which many of us got during the first review). Right now most of us are hovering around 3 (which is an equivalent to a C) and a few get 4(equivalent of a B). The idea behind it is that the prep courses students don't deserve an A ever, even though their work is sometimes taken into the Academy's permanent collection.
After they finish the preparation course, they have to pass a final review to be allowed to take examinations which they would have to pass to become degree students at the Repin Academy. These examinations last for about a month. Students have to produce the following: 2 drawings (portrait and figure), 2 paintings (portrait and figure) and 2 compositions (one on a given subject and one of their own). Each assignment takes about 16 hours.
Since the program is focused on examination assignments, it has no artistic freedom, mostly helping one to master basic technical skills. That is why all work is of the same size, portraits are just busts with no hands and you are allowed to use only pencils rather than other soft materials like charcoal. Once and if one becomes a student, the work does become more personal and creative.
In any case, here are photos from this program. Enjoy.
To see some of my work that I done at the Repin Academy click here
Lena Murray painting
Iola painting.
Drawing done by Sasha,
pencil on paper.
Sveta Lyahonova with her portrait.
This picture is taken
before we get our grades by professors.Floor is covered
with compositional studies while paintings are hung in a
vertical row for each student.
Painting by Irina.
Lena Murray in class
before the grading review. Lena's work is on the side
wall.
Composition study by Sasha
Portrait by Oksana
Gryaznova
