Celebrating five years of change at ARA as we approach our 20th anniversary.

With new facilities, expanded resources to promote students’ works, a more diversified workshop calendar, and external partnerships that help boost the careers of next generation artists, ARA has entered a new phase in its evolution to meet the aspirations of today’s artists of all ages.

We talked to Director and Senior Instructor Fernando Freitas about ARA’s journey over the past five years, and how the discipline behind realist art is becoming an increasingly important asset in a digital world.

What prompted your move to a new studio?

ARA was formally established 20 years ago in Toronto within an equally thriving art community. Over that time, we have built a strong record of success with our students. For example, ARA alumni have been – and continue to be – finalists or winners of numerous worldwide art competitions including ARC Salon and Scholarship competitions.

As we grew however, we realized we needed a larger venue to continue our vision of delivering art instruction in partnership within a thriving and supportive community. At the same time, we wanted to build out new programs and services that would support our students further in their personal and career pursuits.

COVID struck relatively shortly after you opened. How did that impact your programs and students?

Like many studios, COVID drove the need to find more creative ways to deliver instruction. From virtual interactive workshops and online group and individual critique sessions to expanding our video library, our efforts to reach remote students drew a wider audience than we initially thought possible. A number of those programs continue to be available, allowing us to reach the most diverse audience we have ever had.

How has your curriculum evolved?

The instructional fundamentals that have maintained our success over our 20-year history have remained the same for the most part. However, we continue to adjust our workshop schedules to reflect the more diverse interests of students, from variations on alla prima and direct painting techniques to exploring the Zorn limited palette approach and the Andrew Loomis drawing method.

Where is there a demand for ARA training today?

While many graduates have pursued more traditional careers in portraiture and painting commissions, a growing number have found international-based careers in the digital arts. ARA graduates have found work with major studios such as Industrial Light and Magic in Singapore to gaming platforms for Microsoft, among others. Some have come back to tell us it was their time at ARA that helped them excel in their fields.

ARA instructors and alumni continue to produce original works for TV and movies as well as international ad campaigns.

Medical illustration and architecture are also viable career paths. The University of Toronto and John Hopkins Medical Illustration Department programs currently recommend ARA training. We have also had architecture students accepted into Harvard Architecture and Design based on their ARA portfolios. 

Tattoo artistry is also a rapidly growing field that is attracting a growing number of students.

How is ARA helping students entering in-demand careers?

With our larger facility and wider community reach, we are always exploring opportunities to collaborate with outside partners to build skills-based training opportunities. 

One unique pilot program was our partnership with tattoo specialist Chronic Ink. This collaboration allowed students to access skills-based training on site and explore career opportunities in the field. 

In fact, both new and experienced tattoo artists account for a considerable number of students in both our full-time program and workshops. Two of our instructors now own their own shops and hire ARA students.

What is unique about your program?

One decision we made from day one is allowing students to register regardless of their skill levels. We maintain a “fluid” curriculum, where students can work through the stages – from Bargue drawing to still life to figure and portrait painting – at any time, at the pace they choose. This formula has worked well as it can be adapted to suit the schedules of full-time professionals, students, or retirees. 

This approach also became a model for the startup of ARA Boston and the now Edinburgh Atelier of Fine Art (formerly ARA Edinburgh).

More recently we have added an after-school program for young artists (our youngest is 10 years old), these young students are gaining early acceptance to a variety of different programs.

How is your new location helping you expand your reach?

The studio is within a large community centre that draws a sizeable population of art lovers. The JD Gallery in the Columbus Centre regularly provides space on the main floor for showings of former and current ARA students’ work. Women of the Academy of Realist Art “Legacy of 18^th Century Techniques in the 21^st Century was one of our most recent events curated by ARA students.