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Welcome to Our School

Our Spring 2024 Update

We offer in-person classes at our location at 651 Snelling Avenue South in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

We also offer a selection of online classes for ages 10 and up.

All of our classes run for 7 weeks and cost $220 per term.   

Our COVID GoFundMe page is still accessible. 100% of the proceeds go to staff salaries, rent, and other recurring business expenses.

Much love, and be well,
Jim, Sarah, and Suvi the Wonderdog

Make Art Exceptionally Well

The Art Academy of St. Paul began with a simple yet revolutionary philosophy: We believe that with time, encouragement and the proper instruction, anyone can learn to draw and paint exceptionally well. Our school has served the Minneapolis & St. Paul community for over 25 years as artists and teachers.

At the Art Academy, we always stress effort over talent. Through consistent effort, our unique, patented teaching methods can unlock your or your child's creative potential. We have proudly helped turn thousands of students into confident adults and skilled artists.

Designing Programs that Work for You

Self-portrait of a 13 year old girl
Fina Mooney, "Self-Portrait at Age 13," oil on Artefex linen panel, Collection of the Artist.
Winner, 2nd place, Oil Painters of America, 30th National Exhibition, 2021 – Student Art Division

Exhibited at California Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum

Fina Mooney is a student at The Art Academy of St. Paul. She began taking classes with us when she was five years old. At age sixteen Fina completed her Self-Portrait at Age 13.

In their August/September issue, Southwest Art Magazine featured the latest installment of their popular article series, "21 under 31". There they celebrate the most promising artists under the age of thirty-one who are exceptional painters worthy of attention. Upon submission of her self-portrait, Fina was honored to be chosen to be one of those artists.

Of her experience painting this piece, Fina wrote, "Lately I have been spending my time at The Art Academy working with Natural Pigments paints to get a similar configuration to William Bouguereau's palette. I have made a color chart to refer to. Now, I have started to apply a thin layer of color values onto my underpainting. I began slowly, but as I understand this method I am progressing much faster and it is becoming more and more fun. I've been trying to work on keeping my shadow flesh tones full of depth and translucency. I really enjoy learning these methods at the Art Academy and am so thankful for all of my instruction."

One of the reasons Fina has been able to accomplish so much at such a young age is because she had ample training in drawing, pen & ink, watercolor, oil painting, and design following the historic methods taught in our Basic Elements, Fundamentals, and Adult Programs.

Choose Your Program!
Find out more by clicking on the program that corresponds to the age category you are interested in registering for.