The painting program begins with basic instruction in acrylic painting techniques and materials. Students explore traditional subject matter such as still life, landscape, and the figure to develop perceptual/representational painting skills. Color mixing and color theory are an integral part of the study. Abstraction and pastiche assignments focus on painting approaches and techniques from art history. The coursework supports interdisciplinary exploration and invites students to bring in ideas and materials from other areas of study. Assignments encourage students to uncover cultural stereotypes, appropriate images from multiple sources, and consider painting as object. Students may explore oil and encaustic painting in Advanced and Intermediate. Intermediate students refine their skills through study and interpretation of approaches of painters, past and present. Advanced students explore and refine their own ideas, processes, and use of materials in a community of student artists emphasizing an awareness of the relationship of their work to contemporary painting practices. Compositional and formal issues are stressed throughout the curriculum. The Introduction to Painting studio contains easels, track lighting to create different lighting conditions for observational painting, and surfaced walls for large-scale paintings and critique. Intermediate/Advanced Painting studio has easels and ample wall space for large-scale work.