Many students over the summer spend their time catching up on sleep or going on vacation with their families. One Mehlville student spent her summer back at school. 

Junior Carolyn Buback attended the Missouri Fine Arts Academy at Missouri State for two weeks over the summer. She took part in art classes and grew as an artist in that short amount of time. 

The Missouri Fine Arts Academy is a program where high school students are given an opportunity to learn skills and grow in their desired field. Classes include Visual Arts, Theatre, Dance, Singing etc. 

“It was so good to just be surrounded by other like minded people, all the time.” said Buback. 

MFAA gave students the chance to meet new people all across the state who shared the same interests. Students were housed in the same dorms and naturally got close with each other. 

“It wasn’t like skills, it was growth as an artist. So I learned that it was okay to push aside a piece and work on a new one. It’s okay to mess up.” said Buback  

Buback took Visual Arts and Theatre classes. She learned how to incorporate set and costume design into her art. If she saw a dance she really liked, she had the freedom to base a painting off of that. 

With the classes being at a college level, it gave her more independence to do what she wanted than a regular art class in high school would’ve. It allowed her to grow and continue what she’s already been doing. 

Buback needed to send in a portfolio of her art, an essay on how art has impacted her life and a letter of recommendation from a teacher. 

“I just know that she’s really motivated and creative so she’s got the talent but she also has the self motivation” said Emily Wehling, art teacher.

Wehling brought this program to Buback’s attention. She recognized that it would help Buback grow in her art. Buback ended up receiving three college credits for her time at MFAA. It gave her a preview of what art school would be like. 

As of right now, Buback plans on attending an art school. Some options she has are Missouri State, Chicago’s Art Institute or Kansas City Art Institute. Before she attends college, she wishes to travel the world and sell her pieces, as well as seeing as much as she can. She wasn’t sure she’d like the college setting but MFAA changed her mind and showed her how independent college really is. 

For more information about MFAA: https://www.missouristate.edu/mfaa/about.htm