The Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts is an art college in Old Lyme, Connecticut The Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts was founded in 1976 by Elisabeth Gordon Chandler as a figurative academy for the teaching of sculpture, figure drawing, Illustration and painting dedicated to the fine arts. The school offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the disciplines of painting, sculpture, illustration and drawing. The college also offers Post-Baccalaureate and a 3-year Certificate program. The Lyme Academy College is the sole fine-arts-only art college accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is one of the independent Art Colleges belonging to the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. The College is also accredited by the State of Connecticut, and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design and the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges. Amongst private art colleges, the Lyme Academy is known for its contemporary focus on the history and tradition of representational art, centered on the study of nature and the figure. Its small student body offers a uniquely personal education.