Be Smart,
 Add Art!
Be Smart, Add Art!
Art Lessons for Kids ⢠One-To-One Tutoring ⢠Birthday Parties ⢠Private Lessons
The Artist’s Apprentice offers the creative youth an opportunity to explore his/her individual talents through a variety of medium, subject matter and techniques. Classes are taught by Artist/Instructor Pamela Palmer B.F.A., Owner/Entrepreneur of The Artistâs Apprentice established in 2002.
View our Class Schedule to find out what’s being offered right now. We also offer private art classes as well as home school lesson, (group and individual) at the Independence Library, Depot Park, The Corner Cafe in Nieman’s Family Market or at your home in Clarkston!
If you are a Metro Trading Association Member
Note: Due to third party involvement, trade dollars can not be used for scheduled classes.Your trade dollars are able to be used in a number of ways:
- To purchase a series of private lessons.
- To purchase a birthday private party art activity.
- To purchase lessons for home school for your children or home school group.
- To pay for the material fee for scheduled classes or private lessons. (Note: Excludes Brandon Schools)
- To pay for boy/girl scout art badge requirement lesson.
- To pay for travel fee for out of an area location.
Latest News
Upcoming Lessons
- April 13, 2026
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Oopsie Dasie, Paint Like Crazy! (Workshop)
April 13, 2026 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Harvey-Swanson Elementary School, 209 Varsity Dr, Ortonville, MI 48462, USAApril showers? Maybe! But while we wait for the rain to stop, letâs paint a magnificent spring garden. In this workshop, kids will create a large-scale artwork inspired by beautiful spring flowers. Weâll explore iris, daffodils, and tulips using 3D flower models and photo references.
Step-by-step guidance will be available for anyone who wants it, so every young artist can feel confident and successful. At the end of class, families are invited to enjoy a special Gallery Show featuring our studentsâ artwork.
Please wear clothing that can get messy.
Taught by Artist/Instructor Pamela Palmer, B.F.A., Owner of The Artistâs Apprentice.
Ages 7 & up (siblings of any age are welcome!) $30 all materials included. 6:00-8:00
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- April 20, 2026
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Kids' S.T.E.A.M Art Intramurals
April 20, 2026 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Van Hoosen Middle School, 1339 Adams Rd, Rochester Hills, MI 48306, USALet's get to it! If your child loves art and you value the ideas that S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) has to offer, sign your child up for these unique intramural art classes today! We will embark on a images from a rainbow bubble snake and try our hand at printmaking with brayers, printers' ink and rice paper. other engagements will be to construct our own geodesic dome and learn about capillary action with a soap and food dye experiment as well as an animal tessellation project. We will also be putting colorful squirt paint on canvas in a lazy-Susan project where centrifugal force is put into motion, part of a zentangles art piece! This is the spring of exploration and fine art fun your child won't want to miss! Topographical art 'foamations' along with silly-string negative space design project will come into play when we try our hand at at Mange cartooning! Sign up today and come join the fun! A Gallery Show will be extended to family following class on the final day. Please bring water bottle, snack, and wear clothes that are not precious. Taught by artist/educator Pamela Palmer, B.F.A. of locally owned The Artist's Apprentice.Â
Mondays 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18Â Â Â 2:30-4:00
$80 Plus 30 (Material fee payable to instructor on the 1st day of class.)Â Â
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- May 4, 2026
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Woodland Wonders: A Wacky Art Adventure
May 4, 2026 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Rochester Avon Recreation Authority (RARA), 500 E 2nd St, Rochester, MI 48307, USAA 3-Week Creative Art Series
Step into a world of nature, imagination, and a little bit of magic! In this whimsical three-week art series, young artists will explore unusual materials and nature-inspired processes to create extraordinary works of art.
Each week features a brand-new adventure:
Week 1: Float Globes
Kids will use balloons, string, and liquid color to create magical, see-through âfloat globesââlight, airy orbs inspired by fairy lights and forest magic. A sensory, process-based favorite!
Week 2: Nature Prints
Using leaves, flowers, and natural textures, students will create bold prints with brayers and ink, discovering how organic shapes make beautiful patterns.
Week 3: Faerie Fashion
Young designers will create a one-of-a-kind faerie gown/elfin attire using found natural materials, paper, and mixed media.
Taught by:Â Artist/instructor Pamela Palmer, B.F.A. Founder, The Artistâs Apprentice
Ages: 7 & up (siblings of any age are welcome)
$81 All materials included
Final Week:Â Families are invited to a Gallery Show @7:20A playful blend of science, art, and make-believeâperfect for kids who love to get messy, magical, and creative.
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- May 5, 2026
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(s) Be Smart. ADD ART!
May 5, 2026 3:50 pm - 5:20 pm
Springfield Plains Elementary, 8650 Holcomb Rd, Village of Clarkston, MI 48348, USADid you know? Â
Student who engage in the arts consistently score higher on college entrance exams. Fine arts sparks creativity and can also strengthen: Â
Academic performance,Â
Critical thinking andÂ
Problem solving.Â
So what are we waiting for, let's get started!
Students will be involved in learning about fractals in nature and creating beautiful artwork using inks on watercolor paper to representing this phenomenon.Â
We will also be adapting our acrylic paintings using the golden ratio as our guide and talk about the Fibonacci sequence. So, is this a math class? Of course not. đ We're just here to have fun and make our best art! (But if the kids learn something new in the mean time, let's not stop them. đ Â
Sign up today and come join the fun! A Gallery Show will be extended to family following class on the final day. Please bring water bottle, snack, and wear clothes that are not precious. Taught by artist/educator Pamela Palmer, B.F.A. of The Artist's Apprentice.Â
$65 plus $20 material fee payable to instructor on the first day of classes. Ages 7 & up (As always, siblings of any age are welcome.)Â
Tuesdays 5/5, 5/12, 5/19, 5/26Â Â Â Â 3:50-5:20
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- May 6, 2026
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(p) Cartooning Woohoo!
May 6, 2026 3:40 pm - 5:10 pm
Pine Knob Elementary School, 6020 Sashabaw Rd, Village of Clarkston, MI 48346, USAKids love comic!Â
But do they learn anything? As an art educator of many years and hundreds of students, I can certainly say with confidence that the answer is a resounding yes! it develops crucial skills such as creative thinking, fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and artistic expression. Cartooning also boosts confidence by offering a less intimidating way for children to practice drawing and learn artistic principles, like simplifying elements, understanding line and shape, and constructing figures. We will be working with both Manga & Marvel comics. Sign up today and come join the fun! A Gallery Show will be extended to family following class on the final day. Please bring water bottle, snack, and wear clothes that are not precious. Taught by artist/educator Pamela Palmer, B.F.A. of The Artist's Apprentice.
 $65 plus $20 material fee payable to instructor on the first day of classes. Ages 7 & up (As always, siblings of any age are welcome.)
Wednesdays 5/6, 5/13, 5/20, 5/27Â Â Â 3:50-5:20
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- May 7, 2026
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Thursday is my Drawing Day!
May 7, 2026 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Great Lakes Athletic Club, 3800 S Baldwin Rd, Lake Orion, MI 48359, USAThursday Is My Drawing Day!
Build skill, focus, and confidenceâone drawing at a time
Does your child love to draw? Becoming a strong artist starts with passion, and if your child is always sketching, that spark is already there. This 4-week drawing series is designed to nurture that enthusiasm through guided practice, individual instruction, and encouragement to experiment, make mistakes, and grow.
Students will learn essential drawing techniques including:
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Value and shading to create depth
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Hatching, cross-hatching, and stippling to add texture and interest
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Careful observation and focus through nature-inspired subjects
Young artists will work with graphite, colored pencils, and light watercolor washes, gradually building skills and confidence as they see their drawings improve week by week.
⨠This class is ideal for kids who enjoy drawing and want to take their skills to the next levelâno pressure, just progress.Â
Ages 7 & up
(Siblings of any age are always welcome to register)đ Thursdays: May 7, 14, 21, & 28
â° 6:30â8:00 PM
đ Great Lakes Athletic Club
3800 S Baldwin Rd, Lake Orion, MIđľ $95 All materials included.At roughly $15 per hour with all materials included, this class is a great value compared to many Oakland County art programsâwhile still offering individualized instruction and a supportive creative environment.
 đ¨ Taught by Pamela Palmer, B.F.A.,Artist/Educator and Founder of The Artistâs Apprentice
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- May 8, 2026
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The Artist's Apprentice - Manga Cartooning Fun
May 8, 2026 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Rochester Avon Recreation Authority (RARA), 500 E 2nd St, Rochester, MI 48307, USAđ¨ Manga & Chibi Art Workshop
By Artist/Instructor Pamela Palmer, B.F.A.
Owner & Entrepreneur of The Artistâs ApprenticeYoung artists in this class share a common passion â Manga! Together weâll dive into drawing those expressive, big-eyed characters (with personalities to match!) while learning the ins and outs of proportion and design.
Students will develop storyboards that include their own transformation Chibis, exploring the Japanese art of Kawaii â meaning cute, lovable, and oh-so-adorable! Weâll also experiment with creating colorful bubble backgrounds using food coloring and soap solutions for a fun, creative twist.
To celebrate our artistic journey, families are invited to a Gallery Show on the final day of class.
đď¸ Ages: 7 & up (siblings of any age welcome)
đ Fridays: May 8, 15 & 22 | 4:20 â 5:50 PM
đ˛ Cost: $70 (all materials included)
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22 years and counting! All of our fine art experiences are instructed by Pamela Palmer, an artist who was born and educated in Canada. Pamela has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with a major in painting and a minor in drawing from the University of Windsor and a Diploma of Interior Design from St. Clair College. Her works have been accepted into the government collection of Ontario and into juried shows at the Windsor Gallery of Art. Currently she is one of the regular artists displaying work at The Cause and Affect Gallery in Fenton. Palmer has been the 4th grade art teacher at the Independence El. and art instructor at the Early Childhood Learning Center for the Young 5’s program in Clarkston.
The Artist’s Apprentice has received a huge amount of recognition since its beginnings through the Youth Enrichment Program in Clarkston, Michigan and has branched out into Lake Orion, Fenton, Davisburg and Rochester.
As part of The Artist’s Apprentice program, students will be working to improve upon their personal best, an ongoing mindset that, hopefully continues throughout a lifetime.
Classes
How Do I Enroll?
For group classes, go to the Class Schedule and click on the desired class for information on how to enroll and make a payment. Note: For ‘Schedule’ classes please do not pay through this website. Click here to enroll in private classes, art parties, or to pay online.đ¨ The Artist's Apprentice
If you have a question, call Pamela Palmer at
Or text (248) 842-1349
For the fastest response, simply use the form to the right, and we'll get back to you soon!







