Laurence Caruana - Visionary artist, writer and lecturer

~ ACADEMIES ~

After apprenticing with Ernst Fuchs in the year 2000,

I began teaching the Mischtechnik every summer

at Torri Superiore Italy, beginning in 2008.
I was eventually joined by fellow Fuchs assistants Amanda Sage & Andrew Gonzalez.

By 2012, The Summer Seminar at Torri Superiore had become so popular

that a larger project was envisioned.

In 2013, Florence Ménard and myself co-founded
The Vienna Academy of Visionary Art
where we served as co-directors for seven years

until our international school had to close due to the Global Pandemic in 2020.

After that, our project evolved into
The Academy of Visionary Art
which now offers Painting Seminars several times a year at Torri Superiore Italy,
~ back to the place where it all began...

Below you'll find photos and a brief history.

More information can be accessed through these links:

APPRENTICING WITH ERNST FUCHS

In the summer of 2000, I began assisting Ernst Fuchs at The Apocalypse Chapel in the South of Austria. He then invited me to apprentice with him in his studios in Monaco and Castillon, while my wife Florence Ménard became his personal assistant.

This was a wonderful opportunity to learn the Mischtechnik - an Old Masters technique which alternates between layers of white egg tempera and oleo-varnish glazes in colour.

We mostly worked in his large studio in Castel Caramel, a villa above the Cote d'Azur. But we also worked in another studio in Quai des Artistes in Monaco. You can read more about my experiences at Learning to See and my Recollections of Ernst Fuchs.

THE APOCALYPSE CHAPEL - KLAGENFURT

PAINTING SEMINARS AT TORRI SUPERIORE

After apprenticing with Ernst Fuchs, I became a link in the transmission of his Old Masters painting technique.
In 2008, I started teaching the Mischtechnik every summer. With the help of Amanda Sage & Andrew Gonzalez, the Summer Seminar expanded. Twenty students from around the world would join us for a deep dive into Visionary Painting, hosted by the Eco-village of Torri Superiore (located on the other side of the mountain where we worked with Fuchs). He often came to visit. We enjoyed the marvellous atmosphere of the eco-village, including wonderful meals and daily visits to the unique Swimming Grotto.

THE VIENNA ACADEMY OF VISIONARY ART I & II

From 2013 – 2016, the Vienna Academy was located in the Palais Palffy at Josefsplatz, across from the Hofburg Palace in the historical centre of Vienna.

From 2016 – 2020, it was located in the Otto Wagner building at Döblergasse 2 in the artistic and alternative 7th district of Vienna.

The Palais Palffy

The Otto Wagner Building

2013 ~ 2016 - THE VIENNA ACADEMY

IN THE PALAIS PALFFY

In the Palais Palffy, the Vienna Academy was located one floor below the Studio of Ernst Fuchs (who served as Honorary Director) and on the same floor as the Phantasten Museum, a collection of historical works from Fantastic Realism.

The Academy Studio consisted of one large L-shaped room with tall windows along the side. Students would arrive from around the world to study under two teachers per trimester. We offered three trimesters per year (Fall, Winter & Spring) plus the Summer Seminar at Torri Superiore. Special one-week workshops were held during the trimester breaks. The Faculty eventually expanded to include 20 well-known Visionary artists.

2016 ~ 2020 - THE VIENNA ACADEMY
IN THE OTTO WAGNER BUILDING

The seventh district of Vienna around Neubaugasse is known as an artistic and alternative hub. From a large Studio facing the courtyard, the Academy eventually expanded across three floors, with a street-front Gallery and subterranean Temple, as well as extra studios, kitchen and office space.

While the Academy Studio remained the focus of our activities, the Cultural Space explored all forms of Soul Healing, from yoga and sound baths to Psychedelic Integration Circles.

Every five weeks, an exhibition of the students works was held in the Gallery - a popular event. Just before closing, the Cultural Space expanded its activities into a Children's Programme and The VAVA Werkstätte, a crafts atelier working in brass and steel, thanks to Daniel Kage.