Painting
Top left: Isabel Data. Bottom right: Kristy Carse.
Become the artist you’ve always wanted to be.
For visual artists who want to focus on painting, the Painting program will immerse you in a studio culture to nurture your individual practice. You’ll learn from world-renowned practicing artists among a diverse community of creative peers. Together, you'll engage in rigorous dialogue, and learn about traditional and contemporary approaches to painting as a discipline.
As you gain a richer understanding of your practice through in-depth studies, you’ll produce a significant body of work that reflects your unique approach as an artist.
What You Will Learn
Painting can take many forms and approaches. In the Painting program, you'll have the opportunity to experiment across a full range of materials and styles. From acrylics to mixed media, analogue to digital, students are given an unparalleled chance to explore their interests and discover their own artistic practice.
Your education will focus on the studio. Beginning with the foundations, you'll start by focusing on colour, form, and paint handling before moving into advanced classes where you'll develop your individualized painting practice. Along the way, you’ll receive support and personal instruction from accomplished professional artists.
Alongside painting techniques, you'll learn critical theory and history. While most of your time will be spent in the studio, you'll also engage in collaborative work, theoretical research, and group critiques. Expect to delve into a network of artistic peers — one where you can exchange ideas, share findings, and help each other grow as both artists and citizens.
Through your courses and ECU's vibrant, artistic community, you'll not only develop your skills, but you'll also be able to situate your own work in relation to larger social themes, histories, communities, and contemporary styles. By graduation, you’ll have produced a body of work that demonstrates your vision, skill and maturity as a painter.
Installation view of Russna Kaur's exhibition, 'She was there for a while...' (L: 'With no where to go,' 2019. Acrylic, oil, paper, cut canvas and pastel on wood panel. R: 'A road trip,' 2019. Acrylic, oil, and cut canvas on wood panels.)
“Our paintings become an extension of ourselves, of our lives. I’m trying to provide them with tools that they can not only use in class, but outside of class as well to figure out what their narrative is: who are they as artists, who are they as people?”
Program Structure
Credits: 120
Year 1: First-Year Foundation Studies
Year 2-4: Painting courses and electives
Designation: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Majoring in Visual Arts (BFA, Visual Arts)
Faculty: The Audain Faculty of Art
For application information, including admission requirements, see Admissions.
Example Courses
- PNTG 210: Thinking through Painting
- PNTG 214: Painting Materials
- PRAX 300: Dialogues with Painting
- PNTG 310: Painting: Advanced
- PNTG 312: The Figure + the Body
- PNTG 313: Mapping the Terrain
Students also have the opportunity to complete a Minor in Curatorial Studies, Art + Text, or Social Practice + Community Engagement.
Shops + Studios
Visual Arts students have access to our spacious and well-equipped shops and studios. Studio culture is at the heart of your educational experience at Emily Carr, as spaces where you can create, learn, collaborate, experiment, and play.
Each space is maintained by expert technical staff who collaborate with faculty and staff to provide students with instruction and guidance. Technical staff ensure safe and accessible working environments and lead instructional workshops to enhance your learning.
Beyond the Classroom
Meet Your Future Community
Landon Mackenzie
Four decades of work.
Ed Park
Painting the invisible, omnipresent city.
Gillian Haigh
A solo exhibition at PoMoArts
