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Nicholas Beer founded the Sarum Studio in 1995. It became a full-time school of fine art in 2013. Between 1992 and 2012 Nick was senior instructor at the Charles Cecil Studios in Florence. 

Nick’s book, On Sight-size Portraiture is available from bookshops and online. In addition to explaining all that is taught at the school, it contains sections on the history of sight-size portraiture, aesthetic philosophy, an analysis of unfinished portraits from Van Dyck to Sargent, and two historical treatises on portrait painting.

"My obligation as a teacher is to ensure that all who attend the Sarum Studio, even for a limited period, leave with not only an enhanced understanding of what it means to draw and paint from life, but also an appreciation of the practical and aesthetic advantages of the sight-size method." 

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