American Academy of Art College
The American Academy of Art College was a private for-profit art school in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1923 for the education of fine and commercial arts students. In July 2024, the college announced its pending closure.
History
The American Academy of Art was founded in 1923 by Frank Young and Harry L. Timmins to train students for careers in commercial and fine art.Academics
Enrollment was typically between 400 and 500 students. Eight areas of study were offered for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, all of which required 126 credit hours to graduate. The academy was accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.Notable alumni
- Joyce Ballantyne, illustrator
- Thomas Blackshear, illustrator
- Bruce Burns
- Sandy Dvore, designer
- Gil Elvgren, illustrator
- George Hurrell, photographer
- Loren Long, author and illustrator
- Rupert Kinnard
- Alex Ross, comic book illustrator
- Richard Schmid, painter
- Richard Sloan, artist
- Daniel Sotomayor, political cartoonist
- Haddon Sundblom, illustrator
- Jill Thompson, author and illustrator
- John Tobias, game designer
- Anthony Cruz, designer
- Kanye West, rapper