26 September 2022 to 26 June 2024
Head of programme: Dan Coombs
Fees: £5,900 per annum
Introduction
This 2 year course starting in September 2022 to June 2024 comes with a studio that is accessible throughout the course including over the summer of 2023. We are looking for individuals who meet the course requirements to qualify. Admissions are on a rolling basis out of the pool of applications based on artistic potential, energy, creativity, open mindedness, dedication as well as quality of work and are able to demonstrate their determination and commitment to the course.
You will join a community of artists on a full time studio course that provides abundant tutor contact time with teaching days from Monday to Wednesday in a student year group of no more than 16 students. Every two weeks during term time we have visiting artists giving talks and tutorials and the course includes an End of Year exhibition that both physical and online.
We ask applicants to be prepared to participate fully in the pioneering collective creation of this innovative and unique painting course. If selected, and you accept our admission offer, you will be committing to attending and participating in the programme for the full two-years.
The ethos of the ESOP is to encourage the widest range of viewpoints as possible and we welcome applications from candidates wishing to contribute to this diverse and polysemous micro-culture.
Click here for details on how to apply
The ESOP Young Artists Scholarship 2022-24
This course has an offer of a 50% scholarship to new applicants aged 20-30 years.At present we can only offer one scholarship on this course. The application deadline of 15th July 2022.
Click here for details on how to apply for the ESOP Young Artists Scholarship.
Tracy Owusu (ESOP Scholar) with Dan Coombs – one 2 one crit ESOP Advanced Painting Course 2021-23
The core team of artists tutoring
L to R: Dan Coombs, Vicky Wright, Dale Lewis, Neil Gall and Kathryn Maple - photographer Alison Harper. Core team ESOP Advanced Painting Course.
The course is led by the internationally exhibited painter Dan Coombs overseeing a programme of visiting artist lectures and tutorials, Dan Coombs himself and regular ESOP tutors plus projects, lectures, seminars and group tutorials. The core tutor team is Dan Coombs with Dale Lewis, Alison Harper, Neil Gall, Vicky Wright and Kathryn Maple, the John Moore’s Painting prize winner for 2021. The course will evolve through a dynamic ongoing conversation between the teachers and the participating artists. Advice and mentorship will be provided for every aspect of painting practice, including professional practice, developing a career as an artist, strategies for gaining visibility, recognition and patronage, the pragmatics of running a studio, as well as all the technical issues connected with the craft of painting.
Click images below for more information on the artist.
About Dan Coombs
Dan Coombs is a London based painter, a graduate of The Ruskin School, Oxford (1989-92) and the Royal College of Art (1992-94). He was Rome Scholar in painting British school in Rome (1994-5). He has exhibited widely both nationally and internationally. Dan creates his compositions from studies in collage and paint, which unite his figures with entirely invented surroundings, landscape dream worlds and interior spaces. These are human encounters charged with a mysterious, symbolic power. They are explorations of guilt, beauty and fear of isolation; that draw on myth, religion and psychoanalysis in order to grasp the real within the imaginary.
Testimonials
The advanced painting course combines practice-based work with a programme of talks led by internationally renowned artists. We’re encouraged to explore our own working strategies and methods while also being inspired and challenged. We receive access to an incredible amount of tutor time, I can’t stress enough how valuable this is and how incredibly generous they are with their time and energy. I very much doubt I would receive this level of support elsewhere.
Jo Martin
ESOP Advanced Painting is a fantastic community of people who love painting. It’s intense, challenging and supportive. There is ample tutor contact time with a diverse range of artist, including course tutors and visiting artists, all of whom deliver talks on their practice. Great shared experiences on trips out to exhibitions and galleries and, through all the ups and downs, everyone’s work just keeps on coming on stronger and stronger.
Linda Cunningham
For more testimonial please click here.
1Image copyright of the ESOP and the artist. All rights reserved.
