The painting curriculum is composed to introduce the student to traditional and contemporary approaches to painting and encourage her/him to explore non-traditional approaches to process and composition as well. In the intermediate and advanced level courses, the objective is to introduce the student to figure painting from direct observation and imagination. Building on foundational figure drawing, this program teaches the human figure as a "body language" resource and vehicle through which the student may explore its complexities of abstract and organic form. Grounded in representational object and figure painting, the student is, alternatively encouraged to explore abstract themes wherein line, color, shape, form and texture may become the primary narrative of the painting.