Southeast Missouri State University has started an art academy for high school art students to get more experience and more instruction.

The classes are meant to provide students in grades nine to 12 with a little extra instruction and experience. All the instructors are faculty at Southeast.

The first "session" will offer classes titled "Public Art Painting," "Drawing Basics" and "Three-Dimensional Plaster Carving." Two of the three courses will be at the River Campus; the other one is in the Serena Building.

Emily Booth, an instructor at Southeast and the Art Gallery curator, will teach "Public Art Painting." Her class and "Drawing Basics" with Kathy Smith, a drawing and figure drawing instructor with the art department, will be at the River Campus.

The 3-D plaster class will be in the Serena Building. Chris Wubbena, who coordinated the 2008 High School Art Exhibition, will lead this class focusing on artistic expression, conceptual development and creative problem solving within the area of three-dimensional plaster carving.

The classes are $100 including supplies and are from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays starting Jan. 31 and going to Feb. 21. Call 651-2119 for more information.