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The Art Program at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) and the NEO Development Foundation hosted the sixth annual Summer Art Academy for area middle and high school students on July 16-17. Students under the direction of Jessica Stout, local artist and adjunct art instructor, created works with acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, and ink. At the conclusion of the program, students displayed their works in the Charles Banks Wilson Gallery in Kah-Ne Hall. “The program was very popular this year and we had several enthusiastic students,” said Stout. “Having returned to full time studio work, I have been able to re-evaluate my process and pass that on to the students. I was very happy with the outcomes.”

The full program hosted twenty students, including sisters Devyn and Raegan Pitts from Baxter Springs, Kansas. While Devyn has more experience with art, she said that her mother thought the camp would be a good bonding experience for the pair. “I feel like we learned some things together and now we get to take our paintings home and show our family,” said younger sister Raegan. “I especially like the watercolor, because I didn’t know very much about it before I came, but now I feel more comfortable with it.”

“I used to hate watercolor, but I know so much more about it now and I like it,” agreed Devyn. “I love taking art in school, but this course really helped us look at things from different perspectives or through someone else’s eyes.” For more information on the NEO Summer Art Academy, please contact the NEO Foundation Office at 918-540-6250.