gRADES 5 TO 8
For our middle schoolers
Past Classes
For ages 10-15
Bring your A-game, designers!! This class is ALL about exploring your own personal style and learning how to make clothes and upcycle vintage finds to create a wardrobe that reflects YOU.
One of our most popular classes, now for middle schoolers! Kids in this class will be lead by local fashion guru and clothesmaker Susanne Grabowski, where they will get to design and make anything that reflects their individual style whether that’s jewelry, clothing, bags, accessories, hair accessories, or hats. As part of the class, students will learn all about the history of fashion design, from avant garde and haute couture to urban streetstyle and rocker chic. Depending on their vision, children will learn how to drape and sew, sew from patterns, and/or upcycle vintage finds into one of a kind wearable fashion.
This class will run for 10 weeks, each week building on the prior week’s work. Children will have an optional additional two weeks to drop in with Susanne and finish their pieces before the runway show. Students in the class will have the option to show their work at a runway show as part of Wilder Arts’ Spring Showcase in March 2024.
Tuesdays 5:30pm-7:30pm | November 28, 2023 to February 6, 2024 (Optional drop in days on Feb 13 & 20. No class on Dec 26th.)
For grades 6 to 8
Do you love math, or just happen to be really good at it? This is the math competition for you.
Once a year in February, middle schoolers all across the country gather to compete in mathematics, progressing from local chapters, to state, then nationals. Children will have the opportunity to compete as part of a team of 4 or individually.
MATHCOUNTS is a chance for students who enjoy math to challenge themselves beyond their school curriculum and build problem-solving skills, all within a supportive team environment. It’s also an excellent opportunity for children to see that math can be beautiful, enriching, and fun.
In this class, Dr. David Ory will guide children through weekly math challenges starting in November through to the competition. David holds a phd in civil engineering from UC Davis and also placed 4th in the Arizona State individual competition as a middle schooler. He has taught college level math at Prince George Community College as well as Lake Tahoe Community College. David is also an urban planner and coaches basketball at MSMS.
Mondays 6:30pm to 8pm | November 2023-February 2024 (No class on November 20, December 25, January 1st, January 15th, or February 26th)
For ages 11-15
Calling all doodlers, drawers, and storytellers! Learn the basics of designing characters to put into your own mini comics!
Brian Herrick, an artist and illustrator with over 20 years of teaching experience, will work with students as they learn the basics of comic design: creating panels, coming up with story ideas, doing some simple character designs, how to draw recognizable characters over and over again, how to make word bubbles that fit your words, and more! Already have some ideas? No problem! Brian can meet you where you are at so you can jump right in.
Students will all have the opportunity to show their comics at our Summer Artists’ Showcase — a gallery show with food, music, art, friends and family!
Tuesdays 5:30pm to 7pm | May 2, 2023 to June 6, 2023
Sold out
Ages 11-15
What are you passionate about? What do you want to draw? Not sure? We’ll figure it out!
We will begin with simple drawing techniques such as shading, perspective, character design, figure drawing, and faces and emotion. Students will be empowered to explore areas of their own interest and will have the freedom to create work based on their curiosity. We will work on paper and in sketchbooks using pencils, markers, colored pencils and watercolor. Join us for a relaxed environment to get creative, be curious and express our inner voices!
If they choose to, students will have the option of presenting their work as part of Wilder Arts Studio Artists’ Showcase — a gallery event full of art, food, music, family and friends.
Tuesdays 5:30pm to 7pm | March 7, 2023 to April 11, 2023 (no class on March 28th)
Do you have a kid who loves to draw and wants to improve their artistic skills, or perhaps a creative child who’s been eyeing a pencil but doesn’t quite know where to start? Then this is the class for you! In this introductory course, children will learn the fundamentals of drawing that will serve as the building blocks for their future creative endeavors. We will cover composition, drawing technique, line weight, shading, and sketching from observation and imagination. Depending on the class’ preferences, we will work with a variety of creative mediums including graphite, colored pencil, ink, crayon, and marker.
Projects in class will range from still life studies to imagination exercises designed to increase both mechanical and conceptualization skills.
Pencil, paper, and other necessary supplies will be provided by the studio and instructor, but kids are welcome to bring in any medium they’d like to explore or practice with.
(We are committed to our students, families, and staff safety and health. To register for this class, children must have had at least their first COVID vaccination or have an appointment to receive their first COVID vaccination. All Wilder Arts staff are fully vaccinated. Everyone will be required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status inside the studio. We will also continue to open windows and utilize our 3 air purifiers. We will also utilize our outdoor space for snacks and work.)
Wednesdays 5:30pm to 7:30pm | March 2 to April 6, 2022
For ages 10-15.
Get out of your heads and on your feet! In this 8 week class, we’ll learn the fundamentals of comedy improv, focusing on short-form improv games. Kids will work on building their skills on stage collectively and individually as part of an ensemble.
This class is for budding comedians, thespians, satirists, comedy writers, and anyone who wants to build confidence, learn collaboration, and grow your creativity!
Most importantly, we’ll have a lot of fun, and laugh A LOT.
As always, we take our students, families’, and staff’s health and safety seriously. All participants will have to wear masks in the studio, regardless of vaccination status. We will open windows (bring layers!) and have three air purifiers throughout the studio. All of our staff is fully vaccinated.
Thursdays 5:30pm to 7pm | January 6, 2022 to February 17, 2022 (This is a 7 week class.)