Renee King has discovered part of herself she never knew.

It only has been three years since King became one of the first students at the Imperial Centre Painting School in Rocky Mount. Before the school opened in February 2009, King’s experience with painting was minimal.

Painting isn’t an easy pastime for King. Often, it takes discipline and deep soul searching to bring something to life on her canvas. But through the school and working with instructor Charles Philip Brooks, King said painting has shown her a path for her life she can’t wait to travel.

“There is still some disbelief that I have actually put on the canvas what I have put on the canvas when I finish something. So, it is really giving me an opportunity to learn about myself, a part of myself I didn’t know was there for so many years,” said King, 56, of Richmond, Va.

As the painting school enters its third year, Brooks said he is proud of what he and his students have accomplished. Watching students grow as artists and learn how to market their work is what the school is about, and it is accomplishing that goal, he said. Several students have had solo shows or works in larger exhibitions, and others are starting to reap financial rewards for their efforts.

The school follows the atelier, or workshop, style of learning, which involves a master artist and a group of students or apprentices, Brooks said. The students do not have structured class times but instead work together in a shared studio and have one-on-one instruction with Brooks.

“They are doing essentially what I did when I was a painting student, which is very similar to an apprenticeship. ... I am running a professional studio where I make my own work. Because they are in the environment with a professional artist, they get to see everything I do. So, they have a constant demonstration,” said Brooks of Rocky Mount.

The school accepts up to eight students at the time, though it only has two at the moment, Brooks said. He is working with King and Elizabeth Terry, who entered the program in August 2010.

Like King, Terry came to art later in life. Terry grew up around art because of an aunt who was an artist in Nicaragua, but the former didn’t really attempt painting until 2001. Terry was captivated by painting from the beginning and wanted to learn more, but she wasn’t prepared to take college classes in art. Instead, she read everything she could and practiced on her own.

So, when Terry heard about the painting school, she immediately sought more information.

“Finding the Imperial Centre was exactly what I was looking for 10 years ago. It was like a gift from above when that happened,” said Terry of Rocky Mount.

Part of the appeal of the school is the variety of styles and techniques the students learn, said Jennifer Rankin, arts education specialist at the Maria V. Howard Arts Center. Students work on their preferred subjects, but they also copy the works of masters and study other painting styles. The students paint in the studio and on location.

The goal of the school is to help students develop their skills, but it also is meant to teach those interested in a career in art, Brooks said. He talks to his students about working with galleries, selling work and how to promote themselves.

In 2010, King sold $5,000 worth of artworks and prints. King works as a nurse and commutes to Rocky Mount to spend hours in the center’s studio. She looks forward to the day when she might be able to become a full-time artist.

“I will probably study with Charles another several years. ... As I develop, I have more and more of an appreciation for that. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of diligence,” King said.

The program costs $400 a month, which includes instruction and studio access.

For information, call 972-1632.