MA Painting

Join us to explore global issues within 21^st century painting and become a practitioner at the forefront of this international discipline.

Within MA Painting, you'll occupy a professional, challenging, progressive and highly contemporary dialogue within visual culture, and you'll foster this through innovative teaching and a professional studio culture.

You'll discover and take risks within an expansive and inclusive arena, we are committed to supporting your artistic and professional practice, enabling you to forge a sustainable and engaged career. Also, you'll develop and foster a painting practice that can transform and ignite the imagination and senses in a distinct and profound manner, whilst realising its potential in the 21^st century.

Painting defines its particular practice through the peculiarities of the painted field; the making materiality of the unique object; a globally acknowledged cultural history; the dedicated and dynamic relationship of the painted object to the painter. The MA Painting course will explore this innovative and expansive territory in depth, dedicating itself to specialist study at postgraduate level. We're committed to your personal growth and professional development and building a confidence in the wider aspects of managing a career as a painter in a global context.

This specialism is reflected in the course content, delivery and dedicated studio and workshop facilities. Staffed by leading practitioners who are currently exhibiting in international exhibitions, group shows and art fairs. You'll develop your practice through individual tutorials and group critiques, online seminars, practical workshops, artist and alumni talks and presentations. In addition, you'll develop professional awareness in your ability to reflect critically on your studio work and be informed by the peer group.

Focused painting technicians and visiting experts in the field will facilitate professional development delivering a programme built upon the cross-fertilisation of practical application, with an understanding of contemporary painting discourse. Further engagement with practising artists, art world professionals and stakeholders will enable a connected and informed Master’s student. Through individual studio practice and a dedicated programme, you'll come to an advanced level of understanding of both painting theory and application whilst mapping your position within this territory.

This course looks to establish a new and distinctive voice in fine art study, both nationally and, through collaborative ventures, internationally.

Staffed by leading practitioners and academics, focused painting technicians and visiting experts in the field; the MA Painting programme is built upon the cross-fertilisation of practical application with an understanding of contemporary painting discourse. Further engagement with practising artists, art world professionals and partner institutions will enable a connected and informed master’s student. You will, through individual studio practice and a dedicated programme, come to an advanced level of understanding of both painting theory and application whilst mapping their position within the wider field of contemporary visual arts.

Independent studio practice is an essential component of the course, through dedicated application comes failure, success and revelation. A strong ethos of making as thinking, self-discipline and material exploration is encouraged throughout the programme. Critiques, workshops, seminars, lectures, surgeries, tutorials and personal research will inform your practice, building confidence and clarity in situating your creativity within contemporary painting.

Master's 1: The painted language (Materials, methods, contexts)

Assignments in The Painted Language are aimed at decoding three key areas of your making: the theories, debates and situating of practice; the technical considerations and processes involved in the expanded field of painting; the relationship to modes of making that is the personal dynamic. This will be instigated by a re-visiting of the fundamentals of the subject discipline; in practical; theoretical; historical; social and cultural terms. If your first degree was in a subject other than in the one you are registered, or if you are less familiar with working with critical language and debates, these introductory projects will give you the opportunity to develop skills and adjust to new ways of working.

Master's 2: Everything in its wrong place (Explore, enquire, elucidate)

This unit provides an opportunity to explore and articulate your painting practice, through focused research, professional engagement, active dialogue and studio practice. Here you will start to locate your painting practice through informed articulation of your methods, defining the rituals and habits of the creative act and building a critical framework.

Master's 3: Head, Heart and Hand (Purpose, integrity, exhibit).

Here you'll create a fully resolved and realised body of work. Very much a time of independent working against the creative tension of a deadline. A final exhibition will establish chosen methods of exhibiting a body of work; considering the narrative in a series of artworks, curatorial coherence and audience readings.

The full-time course runs for one year (45 weeks of study), from September to August, or January to December. Full-time students will have access to a dedicated studio. The part-time course runs for two years (90 weeks of study), from September to August. Attendance is one day a week (Tuesdays).

• The first unit will introduce students to both the learning and conceptual Fundamentals of Oil Painting, techniques and critical thinking around this. An example of these is below; this is also linked with a 'Nature' painting workshop in the environment with renowned painter Melissa Kime. Seminars and workshops underpinning the ethos of the course continue in Unit 1 and throughout the course.
  
• Oil traditional painting techniques – Explore mediums, colour mixing, painting techniques and the contemporary painters that utilise them.
  
• Contemporary painting – We look at the figure through a live model juxtaposed with source material using oil and acrylic paint.
  
• Painting Large – Breaking down preconceived notions of painting through non-traditional techniques.
  
• Breaking the rules – To question the role of the modernist ideal of painter, the Romantic, emotional, and how this relates to the now, how PAINT can transform and challenge us.

As part of the MA Painting course, you may get the opportunity to take part in course trips and study visits. Previous trips have included:

• Eggardon, UK – four-day residence for all students in the stunning Bridport landscape
• Barcelona – four-day city exploration of galleries, museums and incredible architecture
• London – visiting major painting exhibitions and independent contemporary galleries
• Ian McKeever's studio in Dorset

During the MA Painting course, we receive guest speakers from industry, including:

• Zavier Ellis – Gallerist (charlie smith london), CAA founder, artist
• Ella Shepherd – AUB alumna, painter
• Paul Carey-Kent – Internationally renowned critic, writer and curator
• Kate Mackeson – Artist
• Carol Maund – Director (TOSH The Old School House, BEAF Arts Company), senior project manager
• Ian McKeever RA – Internationally renowned British painter