Three cheers for the Bridge Academy!!!
To be a true rebel in most of today's university or college art departments, an artist would probably need to create in a highly realist or classical style. One of the problems in most college and university art departments is that the teachers themselves have very poorly developed skills in academic drawing. So it is very difficult for the teachers to teach serious drawing skills.
It sounds like the Bridge Academy is attempting to provide an real alternative to the vast sea of sameness that has become most of the educational "art establishment."

My father was born with drawing skills. Time just added experience. Teaching my father to draw would be like teaching trout swimming. You must start with talent.

You can learn others skills like composition, color use, techniques to be an better observer.

The Bridge Academy claims to be 'academic' and 'classical', but not one of their faculty has ever spent time in a real academy. Their claims are as empty as their curriculum. Students can expect the same nonsense found in every university art education. The Bridge is good at marketing, but they are selling a greatly inferior product. It is sad to see otherwise sincere students be further blinded by a defunct curriculum. There are places where art education provides a solid foundation and principle-based teaching. The Bridge is not one of those institutions.

hmmmm sour grapes? An unhappy competitor? I took a class at Bridge and improved my skills greatly!

dear complainer: so maybe the bridge didn't do it for you, maybe you got your feelings hurt or whatever, but to say the bridge is selling an inferior product is ridiculously not true. The place is the bomb. The guys who created it are the most genuine and talented guys around, and they are absolutely true to the mission of their school, which is to help others who also have a passion for the visual arts. The only reason you could say they don't accomplish that is if you have developed a bias, are blinded by hurt feelings or your own frustration, or frankly don't have a clue about what art is really about.

As a former student of both BYU and the Bridge Academy I can attest to the truthfulness of the aforementioned comment. Adam Ford, the "figure drawing" instructor, is in fact teaching a watered down version of BYU's figure drawing approach, and isn't university education what is trying to be escaped? Developing your perception for accuracy and your skill for drawing/painting requires much more discipline than any "teaching" the Bridge claims to offer as represented in their show, which doesn't contain a single academic drawing or painting in the true sense of the word. I have realized this after being exposed to TRUE academic training, which I feel entitles me to make a very accurate judgment, even as a lowly student. Prepare to instruct yourself if you attend the bridge academy, because the integrity and quality of instruction is limited.

what's up with the anonymous?

All of these degrading comments are pointless and most definitely have another motive than to "warn" about the Bridge. There are certain things you can't "teach", and those things will shine no matter what institution one chooses to attend. Obviously Vern Swanson at the Springville Art Museum sees something in the Bridge or he wouldn't have had a show there in one of the bigger galleries.
Also at the annual Spring Salon there were several students and faculty that made it in and got either Merit awards, juror's awards, or first and second place. In 2008 and 2007 the WINNERS of that show are Bridge faculty. That show is considered the most prestigious in Utah to those who matter, and when only a few hundred are chosen out of thousands, I'd say there are several people who appreciate the kind of art the Bridge is producing.

If it makes you feel good to bash other people for following their dreams then I feel pity for you.

what other motive could I possibly have other than to address the fact that the bridge isn't what it claims to be? why does everyone think my feelings got hurt? my resentment stems from the lack of valuable instruction I received. not to mention sean diediker sending me a picture of a donkey in response to a well thought out email. that would be immaturity at its best. think about what you really want to do with your art. are you defending the bridge because of the instructors or instruction? I know how highly everyone regards the instructors, but I'm hard pressed to believe anyone could confidently defend the instruction. feel free to prove me wrong.