The Scuola Internazionale di Grafica brings together an international community of artists, teachers and students in an exchange of technical and critical ideas in the visual arts. Since its establishment in 1969, the Scuola has been making notable contributions in the areas of printmaking, book arts and painting. Today, it serves as a school of art for Italian and international students as well as a place of work for faculty and visiting artists.

The Scuola is located in Campo San Marcuola, in the artistically and historically rich city of Venice. The visual arts, printmaking, book arts, graphic design and art history courses make full use of the Venetian landscape and society. The Scuola's central location allows it a unique position between traditional and contemporary culture, and attracts art professionals and students from all over the world. Distinguished artists, such as Stanley Hayter and William Goetz, have made valuable contributions the Scuola's faculty, reputation and history.

The Scuola's international character is reflected in its diverse affiliations with museums, art galleries and academic institutions throughout the world. The Scuola has formal relations with the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Gerhard Marks Haus Museums, National Museum of Beograd, Guggenheim Museum, Musée de Paris, Civici Musei Correr di Venice, Des Moines Art Center, Academia di Belle Arti di Reggio Calabria, Hoschschule fur Kunst und Musik en Bremen, and British Royal Society of Painters and Printmakers. In addition, the Scuola has student exchange programs with the University Unicamp Brazil, Boston College, University of Osnabruck, Lamar Dodd School of Art, School for the Fine Arts, Knowledge Exchange Institute, Ecole Superierure des Beaux Arts de Paris and Ecole Superierure des Beaux Arts de Geneva.

The Scuola has facilities for printmaking, book arts, graphic design, painting and art history. Students are allowed access to the studios when classes are not in session. In addition, students are encouraged to utilize the architectural, visual and natural beauty of Venice in their work. Venice, which itself is a museum, is the perfect setting for exploring one's creative self.

The print shop is equipped for all major print media. The Scuola maintains several relief printing presses including an Albion vertical cast-iron press from 1870, a modern proofing press, and hand operated off-set litho presses used for monoprinting. Intaglio printing can be accomplished through engraving, etching, aquatint and softground processes. Personalized zinc plates as well as Image-On photo polymer are available for photo-based intaglio. Zinc, copper, grained aluminum and stone plates are obtained locally giving a truly Venetian texture to the prints. The print area also contains serigraphy facilities that utilizes oil based ink, a variety of screens, an exposure unit and a vacuum printing table.

Venice has long been considered the gem of print and book arts. Since the development of the printing press, Venetians have developed a unique perspective in traditional and contemporary print. The Art of the Book is at the heart of the Scuola. Projects in book arts can be accommodated in typeset litho, serigraphy, movable type or in conjunction with commercial printing shops in Venice.

The graphic design lab is equipped with Mac computers, a color scanner, printer and digital camera. The Macs are loaded with standard graphic and web design software such as Quark Xpress and, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. The Scuola encourages the integration of digital media with the more traditional media of print and fine art. The induction of fine arts into digital illustrations creates a unique perspective and sets the Scuola apart from other graphic design schools.

Painting courses are held in the painting studio. On occasion painting and drawing classes also utilize the Scuola's outdoor courtyard and the city of Venice. The painting studio is stocked with easels, brushes, paint and other art supplies necessary to teach each course. Students must budget additional funds for personal art supplies.

Instructors at the Scuola (docenti) teach in both English and Italian, and adapt teaching style to students' technical skills. Students are expected to utilize the painting studio, printshop and/or computer lab for class projects and personal work.

Regular workshops from visiting faculty and artists also create a challenging and stimulating work environment. The Scuola also organizes visits to private collections, meetings, critiques and lectures with curators, galleries, artists, graphic designers and more.

In studio courses, students are graded on a combination of projects. The final group critique features heavily in your final grade. Attendance is mandatory and expected, and unexcused absences result in a lowering of the final grade.

The Scuola utilizes the letter-grade system, similar to the USA.

A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89%
C = 70% - 79%
D = 65% - 69%
F = below 65%

Matilde Dolcetti
Matilde is the Art Director of the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica. She teaches classes in printmaking, artist's books, and watercolor, and has taught in numerous schools in Europe and the United States, including the University of Iowa, Drake University, and Connecticut College. Her prints and paintings have been shown throughout Italy as well as France, Brazil, and the United States.

Franco Vecchiet
Franco lives in Trieste and works at the Scuola, teaching intaglio and relief printmaking, and has also taught at the University of Trieste and the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris. His work, which includes printmaking and installations, has been exhibited throughout Europe and the United States, and has involved permanent works in the cities of Udine, Tellaro and Trieste.

Nelson Takahiro Kishi
Kishi lives and works in Venice, Italy, teaching classes in drawing and graphic design at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica. He was born in Brazil, and was originally trained as an architect before turning to printmaking and drawing. His work has been exhibited widely in Italy, Slovenia and Brazil.

Davide Battistin
Davide lives and works in Venice. He mainly focuses is Plein Air work. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, presenting a thesis on Italian Landscape Painting in the Eighteenth Century. He attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Athens on a year-long scholarship, where he deepened his studies in Figure Painting. He regularly exhibits in New York, London and Venice.

Marcello De Vecchi
Marcello lives and works in Venice, teaching lithography with the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica since 1982. He has studied with lithography masters such as Robert Simon and Romolo Milani, and has organized many workshops of his own in Italy. His work has been included in many exhibitions, collections and portfolios, and has extensively researched the history and techiniques of lithography.

Adrienne Gale
Adrienne received her MFA in Book Arts and Printmaking from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA and her BFA in Painting from Boston University in Boston, MA. Currently she is the 2006-2007 Fellow at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice, Italy. Adrienne is just beginning her teaching career and continues to show as a papermaker, printmaker, and book artist.

Walter Vilain
Walter is a painter, sculptor and printmaker from Koksijde, Belgium, who has studied with artists like Paul Delvaux and Johnny Friedlaender, and has founded the Westhoek Academy in Koksijde. He was organized over 100 personal exhibitions around Europe, and has been included in the Biennales of Paris and San Marino. His work can be found in numerous private and public collections, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Ghent.

Jeffrey Dell
Jeffrey Dell was born in California and raised in Oregon. He studied Printmaking at Hamline University and received his MFA from the University of New Mexico. From 1998 to 2000, he was a Fellow at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, in Venice, teaching Italian and international students. Since 2000, he has been teaching full-time at Texas State University-San Marcos, where he is currently an Associate Professor of Printmaking. Jeffrey’s work is regularly exhibited nationally and internationally, and he is represented by Poissant Gallery in Houston and at DBerman Gallery in Austin, both in Texas. He has an extensive background in intaglio, relief, and serigraphy.