Today, painting is viewed as a remarkably broad range of ways of
expression, methods, techniques, and ways of conveying a meaning.
Painting as fine art is irreplaceable. Recently it has been felt that both art
expert communities and the general public show an increased interest in
classical as well as contemporary painting including the most recent
artwork of young painters.
We have recently been trying to focus on teaching traditional realistic
drawing and painting as the basis for potential restoration work, but also
as a natural way of boosting the ability to understand specific properties
of the perceived reality, that is the ability to see. It is obvious that
painting and drawing are irreplaceable in this process, and students have
shown a growing interest in this work.
Making copies of drawings and paintings is an indispensable task integral
to the study at our department. Simultaneously – not contrary to the
previously stated – attention is paid to developing individual talents of our
students and awareness of their own ways of expression. Our students are
encouraged to display independence in both their craft and their artistic
views. They are assisted in becoming knowledgeable in their subject of
study. We strive to make our students come to realize what their mental
background is and, by doing so, help them create conditions for their
future career and prospective creative work. However, we are also well
aware that presenting and delivering a reasonable amount of knowledge
and skills and thus preparing students for future practical and useful
activities cannot be our only target. A higher priority must be placed on
being instrumental in assisting our students in experiencing the deep
sense of work satisfaction.
We realize that teaching students how to master electronic media,
computer software and photography is indispensable – both as
independent lines of study and as applied media (for instance quality
documentation of a painter’s work, projects and artworks in public spaces,
etc.). At the same time, we strive to preserve elementary knowledge of
many traditional techniques: painting techniques (including mural
techniques – mosaics), graphic techniques (including silk screen printing),
and also stained glass.
Our graduates have a reputation for excellence and flexibility. They often
enrol at art colleges and universities. They do not pursue painting only; a
number of graduates choose to study sculpture, graphics, restoration (this
can be studied at our affiliated college), architecture or landscape
architecture, while some of them decide to study history of art or foreign
languages, or they opt to study at teacher-training colleges. A number of

our students’ artworks (mid-term projects, end-of-term projects, final
projects) compare favourably to those of the current visual arts scene.
Doc. Petr Veselý
Program Coordinator