Tate AnthonyAdult Program” PAA is one of the best art schools/ateliers in the world for artists who want to become serious professionals. I’m a full-time student and I’ve learned more in one year here than anywhere else I’ve studied. The school community is very international and that makes class critiques well rounded. I really enjoy all of the different perspectives my peers add. It’s exciting to be able to take a course with the school’s Director and Founder. Anna is patient and down to earth but wildly knowledgeable in both art history and contemporary practice. Her portrait painting master copy class has taught me a lot about applying what the old masters practiced to my own work (which is pretty much the goal of most people studying realism). Very grateful to have met her and to be enrolled full-time here. Princeton as a town is great too! I moved here from GA to study and couldn’t be happier.”
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Eileen Kennedy-MooreAdult Program“Intelligent art classes for adults, focusing on representational art, in the Russian academic tradition. I’ve been studying at Princeton Academy of Art for two years and have been amazed at the progress I’ve seen in my classmates’ and my own artistic skills. The key difference between Princeton Academy of Art and other, more casual, art classes, is that they teach us how to think as artists. If you’ve ever had the experience of creating a painting or drawing and thinking, “This doesn’t work, but I don’t know why,” the Princeton Academy of Art could be the answer for you. Princeton Academy of Art teaches the foundational skills, strategies, and approaches that contemporary artists need to create compelling representational art. The instructors care deeply about helping each student develop as an artist, recognizing and supporting individual strengths and styles. Students range from absolute beginners to professional artists who were trained in more conceptual approaches but want to expand their repertoire. We draw and paint from plaster casts, classic old masters’ works, and especially (my favorite!) live models. There are classes in portrait and figure drawing and painting, still life, and landscape. The atmosphere is serious but supportive and fun. Highly, highly recommended.” |
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Jessica McConnellAdult Program“I’m an artist that was looking to attend a workshop or two at the academy. After a single workshop, I was hooked. The Russian academic approach that Princeton Academy of Art follows is so refreshing and lively. I learned how to analyze form from the inside out instead of only seeing form tonally. It was an eye-opening experience and I feel I can use what I’ve learned prior in conjunction with these new skills and really improve my work. I will definitely be back!” |
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Clarisse StoneAdult Program“I’ve been studying at Princeton Academy of Art with Anna Neis for 6 months and have already learned an exceptional amount. Refining my technical skills while studying art history has been a successful approach to understanding drawing and painting. I’ve met very special people in a nice and warm environment. From Sept 15th-24th I participated in a 10-day master class at the academy with Gilberto Geraldo. It was a fantastic experience. Gilberto was an inspired teacher and gave very constructive critiques. The processes I’ve been studying at the academy were emphasized greatly during the workshop.” |
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Are you a Princeton Academy of Art student or parent? Consider sharing your Academy experience via Google Reviews below. Thank you for being an integral part of our community!
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Fiona Qiao, Cornell University ’26Fashion Design Management
” I’ve been studying art at Princeton Academy of Art since seventh grade, and it has been an experience that has benefited my life. Princeton Academy of Art has provided comprehensive help, including educators and resources, from the most basic study of art to enhancing and constructing my own portfolio, all of which have encouraged me to become a better artist. I was able to experiment with a wide range of mediums, including oil, gouache, pastels, models, and more. My ambition and original desire to pursue art grew stronger as I progressed through my art education, and I eventually discovered my passion for fashion design. It was also with the support of my instructors that I was able to develop my voice in my portfolio and continue my studies in apparel design and management at Cornell University. Thank you to the instructors at Princeton Academy of Art and everyone else who helped me achieve my goal of becoming an artist!” |
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Amy Xu, Northeastern University ’25Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies
” I personally had an amazing experience completing the portfolio prep program at Princeton Academy of Art! As the first in my family to go to school for art, I had absolutely no idea where to begin when it came to creating a portfolio. Anna and Kelsey helped me throughout the entire process. They helped me create a plan for what types of pieces I would need depending on collegiate requirements, a schedule for when everything would need to be done, and how they would fit into a portfolio to submit. They guided me in creating pieces that specifically related to my intended major and the schools I was applying to. As an architecture major, I also needed models, not just drawings. Despite this not being the school’s main focus, with the help of graduate student tutors they invited for the program, I created an intricate model by the end of the summer. During the program, I was able to finish one piece per week, which would not have been possible without the help of Anna’s critiques and encouragement. She was actively involved in everything– from helping me pick inspiration photos, encouraging me to make tons of thumbnail sketches, to choosing an appropriate medium, etc. All the pieces I made had a great range in medium and concept, which I thought was amazing. Once all the pieces were finished, Kelsey helped me put everything together within my application. She worked together with me as a writing tutor to formulate descriptions for all my pieces in a way that expressed my personal views and also taught me the proper way to photograph them, something I had trouble with. Overall, I would say that the entire portfolio creation process was made extremely easy by Anna and Kelsey. As someone who went through the entire portfolio prep program, I would recommend it to anyone in need of a portfolio! I came into the process completely clueless and came out confident in what I had created.”
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Ashley Yueng, PRATT Institute ’25Animation
” Throughout my time as a student at Princeton Academy of Art, I can definitely say I was able to fully grasp and understand fundamentals skills and their significance. I know that if I hadn’t pursued an education here I wouldn’t have picked up concepts like perspective, form and structure, values, etc.. In class, I remember studying various masterworks from figure drawing to still lifes which helped me develop my technical skills. I can certainly say comparing my old to new artworks throughout the years, I improved with each piece. Outside of class, I found myself using the skills I learned to strengthen my personal artwork and to further my studies. We also had many professional development seminars where our instructor would help us to build our online presence through websites, IG, and learning about internships in the arts industry. The instructors I’ve had are professional, genuinely kind, and happy to provide constructive guidance on what to improve and refine in an art piece. Not once did I find any critique from them discouraging. I can definitely say they are very well educated in their field and are very pleasant to work with. I remember being anxious about attending art school because I feared I would lag behind the rest of my peers. I was reassured by my instructors that I had the ability to do it and it turns out I was able to keep up with all my peers in art school. Overall, I found all of their teachings to be very helpful. It’s important to note that it takes time to learn and improvement depends on the willingness of each person.” |
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Irene Feng, Cornell University ’25Fashion Design Management
” My name is Irene Feng, an undergraduate student studying fashion management at Cornell University. Although I was exposed to art at a young age, Anna was truly the one who fostered my interest and gave me systematic training in both classical and contemporary art. Throughout the five years of knowing Anna, I found her to be warm and easy to talk to. In the art-making process, I would come up with an idea, and she would immediately understand and guide me to reflect it in my art. This was especially helpful when building my portfolio for college application – you would really need someone with who you connect and trust. I feel at ease when I am working in the studio. The atmosphere is different from other studios that I’ve been to. Something about the smell or the interior makes me want to just sit down and produce. I was surrounded by teachers who are masters in their own style and students ranging from kids to seniors who share the same passion for art as I do. Until today, I am still in contact with friends I made in the studio. “ |
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Are you a Princeton Academy of Art student or parent? Consider sharing your Academy experience via Google Reviews below. Thank you for being an integral part of our community!
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Tamara GillonPRECAD Program Parent“Our oldest daughter is enrolled at Princeton Academy of Art and in a couple of weeks, we started seeing her progression! Kelsey Doherty is a wonderful teacher! I highly recommend!“ |
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Are you a Princeton Academy of Art student or parent? Consider sharing your Academy experience via Google Reviews below. Thank you for being an integral part of our community!
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Shirin Stave-MataisPAA Community Member“I am not a student here, but have visited the space to hear a lecture. I was completely captivated but the environment, integrity of the work and school to be of the higher standards. The lecture was inspiring and it was clear this space and those who run it are completely passionate about what they do. I loved the visit & felt I had entered a really special environment” |
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“I am not a student here, but have visited the space to hear a lecture. I was completely captivated but the environment, integrity of the work and school to be of the higher standards. The lecture was inspiring and it was clear this space and those who run it are completely passionate about what they do. I loved the visit & felt I had entered a really special environment”