The teaching staff

Cecilia PontenaniThe Director, Italian Language Instructor

Lorenzo CapanniAssistant Director, Italian Language Instructor

Roberto BalòItalian Language Instructor, webmaster

Stefano CesaratoArt Teacher: Drawing, Painting Techniques, Sculpture and Decoration

Tommy BoureauxArt Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Begoña Cabada SanzArt Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Mohsen VeysiArt Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Rosalba GiordanoArt Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Michele ReschiniArt Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Instructor Assignments: What to Expect

Prospective students often ask who their instructor will be well in advance of the course start date. Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine or guarantee a specific instructor months ahead of time, as class scheduling and instructor assignments are usually finalized about 10 days before the course begins.

In addition, it is not possible to guarantee a specific instructor in all circumstances, as unforeseen situations may occur (such as illness, personal leave, or holidays).

What we can guarantee is our full commitment to assigning you the most suitable instructor for your course: a qualified and attentive professional who will support you step by step, taking into account your goals, interests, and artistic skills. Should it be necessary, the school always ensures continuity of instruction by providing a qualified substitute instructor.

More Than Artists: Dedicated Teachers

Many prospective students also ask whether our instructors are established artists or whether their artistic style matches their own preferences. We would like to clarify an important point: our instructors are first and foremost teachers, in addition to being professional artists.

Their greatest strength is not only their artistic talent, but above all their ability to teach and to clearly pass on knowledge and skills, developed through many years of teaching experience. Being a good artist does not automatically mean being a good teacher.

Even if an instructor’s personal artistic taste differs from yours, they are fully qualified to teach a wide range of styles, techniques, and artistic approaches in a professional and competent manner. Art history also shows us that many great artists—such as Michelangelo, Vermeer, or Caravaggio—were not particularly interested in teaching or working closely with students.

For this reason, our priority is to offer excellent teachers who can truly guide and support your artistic development, rather than simply well-known or established artists.

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Accademia del Giglio – Italian language, Fine Arts and Italian Culture in Florence since 1995

Our teachers

Cecilia Pontenani

The Director, Italian Language Instructor

Education
April 1992 Received a “Laurea” with full marks in Modern Languages and Literature (Italian Degree) from the University of Florence.
July 1980 Awarded a “Diploma di Maturità” in sciences with full marks.

Employment history
June 95-present Director at “Accademia del Giglio” (Florence, Italy).
June 95-present Italian language teacher for foreign students at “Accademia del Giglio”.
April 93-May 95 Italian language teacher for foreign students at “Società Dante Alighieri”.
June 92-March 93 Private tutoring to Italian students in English; translations from Swedish into Italian for several companies.

Languages
Mother language: Italian
Good English
Good Swedish

Other interests
Travelling, reading, bird-watching, skiing and going to the cinema.

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Lorenzo Capanni

Assistant Director, Italian Language Instructor

Education
June 1995 Received a “Laurea” with Honours in Modern Languages and Literature (Italian Degree) from the University of Florence.
July 1988 Awarded a “Diploma di Maturità” in Languages with full marks (60/60).

Employment history
July 97-present Assistant Director at “Accademia del Giglio” (Florence, Italy).
July 96-present Italian language teacher for foreign students at “Accademia del Giglio”.
Oct 95-June 96 Italian language assistant in 2 French secondary schools.
Spring 95 English teacher for the employees of an Italian company.
1994-present Private tutoring to Italian students in French and English; translations for Italian companies.

Languages
Mother language: Italian
Fluent French
Fluent English
Good German

Other interests
Reading, swimming, biking.

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Roberto Balò

Italian Language Instructor, webmaster

Education
April 1997 Received a “Laurea” with full marks in Italian Literature (Italian Degree) from the University of Florence.
July 1989 Awarded a “Diploma di Maturità Commerciale” with full marks.

Certifications
Expert in digital education – Centro Studi Erickson, Trento (2021)
Teaching Italian as a foreign language DILS-PG I and II level – University of Perugia

Employment history
July 97-present Italian language teacher and Italian L2 / FL teacher trainer at “Accademia del Giglio” (Florence, Italy)
June 89-Aug 96 Tutor for Italian students taking summer English courses in the U.K.

Publications
Italiano L2/LS digitale. Come usare il digitale per insegnare italiano a stranieri in presenza e a distanza. Atene, Ornimi Editions, 2022
Italiano L2/LS fai da te. Guida pratica per insegnanti/facilitatori linguistici. Bergamo: Sestante edizioni, 2020.

Languages
Mother language: Italian
French
English

Other interests
Reading, poetry, tennis and going to the cinema.

Website
WebL2

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Stefano Cesarato

Art Teacher: Drawing, Painting Techniques, Sculpture and Decoration

Education
2016 Airbrushing course at art&heart Studio, Florence
2015 Degree in Painting at Accademia di Belle Arti of Florence
2008 Awarded a “Diploma di maturità artistica”, in Painting and Decoration, artistic high school L. B. Alberti, Florence

Employment history
2018 – present. Teacher of Drawing and Painting techniques, Sculpture, Scenography and Design at Accademia del Giglio, Florence, Italy
2017 – 2019 Airbrush decorator on fabric and leather at TransfersArt S.A.S.

Exhibitions
2017 “Ripensare l’Umanità in Noi”, Oratorio di Santa Caterina delle Ruote, Bagno a Ripoli, Florence
2015 Finalist at the 3rd “Maria Grazia Vaccari sculpture competition” curated by Maria Anita Borgioli and Laura Mannori
2015 “Don Milani Il Mio Maestro”, Chiostrino della Basilica di San Marco, Florence
2015 “Tu 35 così Ti ha fatto Dio e così ti devo tenere” (geographies of emerging art in Tuscany) Firenze#1, project of Centro per l’arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, Prato
2015 “Under pressure”, Ex chiesa di San Giovanni, Prato
2014 “Art Festival PassKey”, Montepulciano (SI)
2014 “Start Point”, Accademia di Belle Arti of Florence
2013 “Wet Paint”, curators Massimo Barzagli, Mauro Betti and Raffaella Nappo at Galleria d’arte Frediano Farsetti, Florence
2012 “I marmi lavorati per Adolfo Wildt”, Accademia di Belle Arti of Florence
2012 “Non sono che un uomo. La vita e i luoghi di Ernesto Balducci nelle immagini di venti giovani pittori”, curators Adriano Bimbi, Mauro Pratesi and Susanna Ragionieri, at Galleria Medici Riccardi, Florence
2011 “Qua e là” collective exhibition at California State University Florence, curator Marsha Steinberg

Languages
Mother language: Italian
Fluent English

Website
stefanocesarato.it

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Tommy Boureaux

Art Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Education
2012. After Effects Motion Design at “Gobelins, l’école de l’image” – Paris
2005/2009. Degree, designer and illustrator in visual communication at “Intuit Lab” school of Art and Design – Paris

Employment history
2021 – present. Teacher of Drawing and Painting techniques at Accademia del Giglio, Florence, Italy
2016/2018. Assistant to the Artistic Direction in setting up exhibitions and translator into French at the “Maison Bibelot” Auction House – Florence
2010/2018. Freelance graphic designer and illustrator for visual communication
2015. Art teacher in Drawing and Painting focused on visual expression at the Art school “Artpeggios”, London
2012/2014. Graphic designer and illustrator for the Parisian cosmetics company “Regard de Beauté” – Paris
2010/2012. Junior graphic designer and illustrator at the communication agency “Studio Kuni” – Bologna

Exhibitions
2020 «Georges Bergès Gallery», collective exhibition, New York, USA
2019 «Allouche Gallery», collective exhibition, New York, USA
2018 «Paratissima» contemporary art fair, collective exhibition, Turin, Italy
2017 «79rosso» Gallery, solo exhibition, Florence, Italy
2016 «Bottega d’Arte Merlino», collective exhibition, Florence, Italy
2013/2015 Permanent exhibition at «L’Art en Partage», Volx, France
2012 «Les rencontres Scolopendra», solo exhibition, Montpellier, France
2011 «Centre Culturel Art’M» collective exhibition, Paris, France
2010 «The Outsiders» Gallery, collective exhibition, London, UK
2010 «Studio d’Arte 11» Gallery, collective exhibition, Bologna, Italy

Languages
Mother language: French
Fluent Italian and English

Website
tommyboureaux.com

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Begoña Cabada Sanz

Art Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Education
1993 Degree in Painting at University of Madrid
1988-2005 Specialization Courses: Fresco and restauration (Laboratorio per affresco L. Tintori, Prato), Life-Drawing, Etching (Il Bisonte, Florence), Pottery (Oviedo).

Employment history
2000 – present Teacher of Drawing and Painting techniques at “Accademia del Giglio” (Florence, Italy).
2006 – present Fresco teacher at Laboratorio per affresco L. Tintori, Prato.

Exhibitions
2004 Solo exhibition at “Il Giardino del thè”, Prato, Italy.
1999 Solo exhibition at “Spazio culturale Caffè Orientale”, Oviedo, Spain.
1996 Collective exhibition at University of Oviedo, Spain.
1995 “Watercolors”, Caffè Cabiria, Florence.
1991 – 1994 Collective exhibitions in Madrid and Oviedo.

Languages
Mother language: Spanish
Fluent English and Italian
Good French

Other interests
Opera, bike, trekking.

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Mohsen Veysi

Art Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Education
2016 – present Ph.D. Human Sciences and Education, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.
2016 M.F.A- Fine Arts/Studio, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) / University of Cincinnati, OH, USA.
2014 Second Level Academic Diploma in Visual Arts and New Media _Painting, Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze (Florence Academy of Fine Arts), Italy.
2011 First Level Academic Diploma in Visual Arts _Painting, Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze (Florence Academy of Fine Arts), Italy.

Employment history
2017 – present Teacher of Drawing and Painting techniques at Accademia del Giglio, Florence, Italy
2016-2017 Teaching different Fine Arts courses, FUA/ Florence University of the Arts, Florence, Italy.
2014-2016 Teaching different Fine Arts courses, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) / University of Cincinnati, OH, USA.

Selected exhibitions
2016: Group exhibition, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
2012: Group exhibition of fashion design, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
2011: The seventh international biennale of printmaking, Museum of Modern and Contemporary art, Monsummano Terme, Italy
2011: Group exhibition of fashion design, Arciconfraternita dei Bergamaschi, Roma, Italy
2011: Group exhibition of fashion design, Italian Cultural Institute, Madrid, Spain
2011: Group exhibition of fashion design, Triennial Design Museum, Milan, Italy
2010: Group exhibition, La Natività nell’Arte, Fondazione cassa di risparmio della provincia di Chieti, Chieti, Italy
2010: The second contest of sculpture and the twentieth competition of graphic of Corsico, Corsico (Milan), Italy
2010: Group exhibition, painting and drawing with the cultural group “CESARE FRIGERIO”, Corsico (Milan), Italy

Languages
Mother language: Persian (Parsi)/ Kurdish
Fluent Italian and English

Website

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Rosalba Giordano

Art Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Education
2021 Degree in Conservazione e Restauro dei Beni Culturali (Firenze – Opificio delle pietre dure)
2010 High School Diploma—Painting.

Employment history
2024 – present Teacher of Drawing and Painting techniques at “Accademia del Giglio” (Florence, Italy).
2023 – present Ceramic decorator (Ceramiche Ricceri, Impruneta, Florence).
2021 – present Restorer of paintings, furniture, and wooden sculptures.

Languages
Mother language: Italian
Fluent English

Other interests
Teatro, fitness.

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Michele Reschini

Art Teacher: Drawing and Painting Techniques

Education
2022/2023. Diploma in Drawing and Painting, Accademia Bottega dell’Arcimboldo, Florence (FI)
2023/2025. Private Painting Lessons, Atelier of Vitaliy Shtanko, Florence Art Academy, Florence (FI)
2025/present. Private Painting Lessons, Atelier of Maxmillian Ciccone, Florence (FI)

Employment history
2024 – present. Teacher of Drawing and Painting techniques at Accademia del Giglio, Florence, Italy
2011/2022. Footwear Sector Patternmaker, Macerata, Italy

Languages
Mother language: Italian
Fluent English

Website
Michele Reschini Art (Instagram)

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Instructor Assignments: What to Expect

More Than Artists: Dedicated Teachers

MORE ON ADG

Our teachers

Cecilia Pontenani

Lorenzo Capanni

Roberto Balò

Stefano Cesarato

Tommy Boureaux

Begoña Cabada Sanz

Mohsen Veysi

Rosalba Giordano

Michele Reschini

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