Zip ST.ART
One-Week Residential Program for Artists in High School
Experiment with new ideas and media with ST.ART’s one–week pre-college program.
June 21-27, 2026
Make new friends and learn from practicing artists and designers through hands-on classes that will expand your portfolio’s breadth. Improve traditional skills and explore nontraditional processes in a week of daily studio sessions designed to have you experimenting with new techniques and processes.
Fast Facts
- One week (June 21-27, 2026) residential program hosted at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas
- For rising freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school (class of 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030)
- Students attend their choice of two studio sessions (aka classes) Monday-Friday
- Housing and meals included with program fee
- Students participate in museum trips and Austin adventures outside of classes
- Payment plans available
- Merit and need-based scholarships available!
Studio Sessions
Zip ST.ART invites students with varying experience to further develop skills in 2D and 3D processes. All students participate in their choice of two daily studio sessions. Studio Sessions are selected during the registration process and spaces are limited.
Select two studio sessions and maximize your artistic exploration!
AM – 9:30am-12:30pm
Comics & Character Design
Work in frames to develop your own stories and characters! Students will use traditional drawing techniques and animation processes to give original characters backstories, quirks and flaws while working to create projects such as comic strips, flip books and stop motion animations.
Instructor: Matt Rebholz
Eco Art
Learn about artists who think critically about the environment when making their art. Experiment with processes such as mixing your own paints from natural materials, making your own mark making tools, and temporary outdoor installations. This class will focus on recycled material and will have you looking at the world around you in a new way!
Instructor: Sarah Fagan
Relief Printmaking
An introduction to the concepts, methods, and materials of printmaking! Experiment with reductive and additive processes to create original prints. From pulling prints to signing editions, students will sample processes such as carving linoleum and creating monoprints. Students will participate in a print swap, creating a limited edition of prints to share with peers in the class.
Instructor: Erin Miller
Still Life Drawing & Painting
An introduction to painting techniques, composition, and exploration of still life studies. Play with various methods, subjects, narratives and expressive possibilities in drawing and painting! Students will further develop observational drawing skills, working with objects to tell their story.
Instructor: Peter Abrami
PM – 2:00-5:00pm
Animation & Digital Media
Investigate the exciting world of time-based media and digital literacy! Play with the basics of creating and animating with both digitally and hand-drawn imagery. Pacing, repetition, and linear and nonlinear narrative will all be explored via digital means.
Instructor: TBD
Ceramics & Hand Built Sculpture
Learn how to make ceramics in a fine arts context. Get inspired to make your next sculpture and explore materials and methods that address issues of form, space, context, scale and expression. Projects may include: conceptual art, installations, time-based sculpture, public art, site-specific work and collaborative creations.
Instructor: Ali Rex
Figure Drawing
Explore new ways of seeing and drawing to construct figures using various media. Students will develop observational skills and learn techniques for working from the human figure. This class includes daily sessions with a live clothed model.
Instructor: Renee Lai
Mixed Media Painting
Rediscover commonly used and often overlooked materials to visually develop complex concepts and explore new ways of making. Students may work independently or collaboratively to develop small and large scale projects using paints, paper, pen, fabric and anything else that will amplify their vision.
Instructor: Sarah Fagan
Summer 2026 Schedule
7:15-8:45am – Breakfast
9:30am-12:30pm – AM Studio Session
12:30-2:00pm – Lunch break
2:00-5:00pm – PM Studio Session
5:00pm – Daily meeting
5:30-9:00pm – Dinner and activities
10:00pm – Curfew
Housing + Student Life
All Zip ST.ART participants live on campus during the one-week program, from Sunday at 2pm to Saturday at 10am. All students are housed in a St. Edward’s University residence hall and enjoy most meals in campus dining halls. All students will be paired with a roommate and halls will be supervised by program staff and organized by gender. As a residential student, all activities and Austin adventures are included in the program fee.
Registration Info
Zip ST.ART is a registration–based program and two classes are selected during the registration process on a space–available basis. Registration will be available starting February 1 and ends June 15.
Requirements:
- Completed registration
- Studio Session selections
- Program forms – due after registration
- $300 non-refundable program deposit
Tuition + Program Fees
Program Fee: $1725
Includes over 30 hours of instruction, some supplies, housing and meals (from Sunday at 2pm – Saturday at 10am), and a ST.ART t-shirt.