Classes for Youth and Children
Join us at the Silverton Arts Park House for our after school arts program, where students work together in a vibrant studio environment. Our primary goal is to give creative youth in our rural area a cutting-edge artistic space with material resources, connection with friends, and mentorship in a variety of disciplines.
We believe in facilitating creative growth through fun and challenging projects! Students in our studio will work under the guidance of teachers Michael Turner (filmmaker) and Jonathan Case (author/illustrator).
We’ll make all kinds of things together, like:
Short films
Written stories
Storyboards
Sound design and scoring
Comics and illustrations
Stop motion animation
Graphic design
Creature FX and special effects
Note to parents — youth enrolling in this program should be prepared to work as productive, collaborative artists on projects requiring a good degree of patience and sustained effort. We have boatloads of fun in our studio space, but to do so, each studio member must be ready to bring their best as both an artist and a team member!
We currently offer enrollment on a quarterly basis for up to ten youth. If all spots are occupied, families are encouraged to sign up on our waitlist! Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you at the Park House.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS
Jonathan Case is an award-winning author/illustrator whose books are published around the world. His work includes Little Monarchs, Dear Creature, Batman ‘66, and two volumes of Over the Garden Wall.
Michael Turner is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, returning to teach at Silverton Arts after his fantastic Film Camp in 2024! His work includes Monument and The Way We Talk.
Youth - Ages 11-16
All Materials Provided
Location: Silverton Art Association Park House Classroom
June 29th-July 2nd 9am-1pm
Instructor: Michelle Isaksen
Get ready for four days of sunshine, bold color, and tropical creativity! In this vibrant summer art camp, young artists will complete a full acrylic canvas masterpiece each day while learning foundational painting techniques in a fun and encouraging environment.
From breezy palm trees and colorful surfboards to a playful pineapple portrait, campers will explore layering, blending, texture, and expressive brushwork. The week wraps up with a special blacklight painting experience featuring a bold neon watermelon design that glows!
Each day also includes a themed hands-on craft project to complement the painting, along with team-building games and outdoor activities on the lawn. We love mixing creativity with movement, laughter, and connection to make camp both inspiring and energizing.
No experience needed — just imagination.
Campers should bring a picnic-style lunch each day. A light snack will be provided.
Spots are limited and early registration is encouraged.
WHAT TO BRING TO CLASS:
Creativity and a positive attitude
ABOUT THIS INSTRUCTOR:
You may know Michelle Isaksen from At Easel Art and while her downtown brick and mortar shop may be gone, she's still spreading her creative joy all over Silverton and the surrounding areas. We are thrilled to have her teaching art at the Silverton Arts Center.
Ages 5-12
Location: Silverton Art Center Park House
July 20 – July 23 9am-1pm
Instructor: Michelle Isaksen
Grab your binoculars and get ready for a wild creative adventure! In this safari-themed art camp, young artists will journey into the jungle and complete a full acrylic canvas masterpiece each day while building foundational painting skills in a fun, encouraging environment.
Camp begins with a special self-portrait “Young Explorer” project, where students will paint themselves as safari adventurers. Throughout the week, artists will create vibrant wildlife paintings including a playful sloth, a majestic lion, and a bold blacklight toucan that glows!
Each day also includes a themed hands-on craft project to complement the painting, along with team-building games and outdoor activities on the lawn. We love mixing creativity with movement, laughter, and connection to make camp both inspiring and energizing.
No experience needed — just imagination and a sense of adventure.
Campers should bring a picnic-style lunch each day. A light snack will be provided.
Spots are limited and early registration is encouraged.
WHAT TO BRING TO CLASS:
Creativity and a positive attitude
ABOUT THIS INSTRUCTOR:
You may know Michelle Isaksen from At Easel Art and while her downtown brick and mortar shop may be gone, she's still spreading her creative joy all over Silverton and the surrounding areas. We are thrilled to have her teaching art at the Silverton Arts Center.
Ages 5-12
Location: Silverton Art Center Park House
August 3-7th 10am-1:30pm
Instructor: Mike Turner
This summer, the Silverton Arts Association will host a high-energy film camp led by filmmaker Michael Turner, where students jump right into making movies—learning how to shoot, act, direct, and edit their own projects.
Each student will have the opportunity to create a short film, working collaboratively to bring their ideas to life.
The session wraps with a big-screen showcase at the Silver Falls Film Festival, held in August at the Palace Theater, where friends and family can come to watch their films, alongside the work of filmmakers from around the world.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Michael Turner's feature-length documentaries include The Way We Talk and Monument, which have screened at festivals, universities, and cinemas around the world. He has created work for Habitat for Humanity, the Oregon Jewish Museum, the Immigrant Story, Sheltering Silverton, and many other meaningful organizations, and serves as the programming director of the Silver Falls Film Festival.
Youth - Ages 14-17
All Materials Provided
Location: Silverton Art Center Park House
July 27th – July 31st 10:30am-12pm
Instructor: Jonathan Case
Join award-winning graphic novelist Jonathan Case for a Summer Camp that’s all about drawing imaginative characters and creatures — aliens, fairies, dragons, unicorns, you name it.
Share the kinds of creatures and characters you like to draw, and advance your skills with help from Jonathan! Kids will learn some anatomy, gesture drawing, structure, and how to use real reference for their imaginary designs!
ABOUT THIS INSTRUCTOR:
Jonathan Case is an award-winning author/illustrator whose work includes original graphic novels published around the world. His 2022 book, Little Monarchs, was a best book of the year from NPR, School Library Journal, and many others. Jonathan creates paintings, illustrations, and stories for companies like Disney, DC, Cartoon Network, Valve Software, and more. He lives near the Arts Center in Silverton with his family.
Ages 8-11
Location: Silverton Art Center Park House
July 27th – July 31st 1pm-3pm
Instructor: Jonathan Case
Learn to develop stories, characters, environments, and comics pages with instruction from award-winning author/cartoonist Jonathan Case!
In this Summer Camp, Jonathan will provide students with a custom kit of professional cartooning materials and help them make the best pages of comics they can!
Students will learn and expand their understanding of character design, storytelling, crafting believable environments, perspective, and more.
ABOUT THIS INSTRUCTOR:
Jonathan Case is an award-winning author/illustrator whose work includes original graphic novels published around the world. His 2022 book, Little Monarchs, was a best book of the year from NPR, School Library Journal, and many others. Jonathan creates paintings, illustrations, and stories for companies like Disney, DC, Cartoon Network, Valve Software, and more. He lives near the Arts Center in Silverton with his family.
Ages 10-14
Location: Silverton Art Center Park House
August 10–13 9am-1pm
Instructor: Michelle Isaksen
Step into a world of dragons, glowing lanterns, and royal adventure.
In this fantasy-inspired art camp, young artists will journey into an enchanted kingdom and create a new acrylic canvas masterpiece each day while building confidence and foundational painting skills in a fun, encouraging environment.
Campers will begin the week by designing and painting a Royal Self-Portrait, imagining themselves as the King or Queen of their own magical realm. Throughout the week, artists will bring a whimsical dragon to life, paint a charming storybook cottage, and create a special blacklight “Lantern Magic” painting that glows in the dark.
Each day also includes a themed hands-on craft project along with team-building games and outdoor activities on the lawn. We love blending creativity with movement and imagination to make camp both energizing and inspiring.
No experience needed — just imagination and curiosity.
Campers should bring a picnic-style lunch each day. A light snack will be provided.
Spots are limited and early registration is encouraged.
WHAT TO BRING TO CLASS:
Creativity and a positive attitude
ABOUT THIS INSTRUCTOR:
You may know Michelle Isaksen from At Easel Art and while her downtown brick and mortar shop may be gone, she's still spreading her creative joy all over Silverton and the surrounding areas. We are thrilled to have her teaching art at the Silverton Arts Center.
Ages 5-12
Location: Silverton Art Center Park House
July 13th-17th 10am-1:30pm
Instructor: Mike Turner
This summer, the Silverton Arts Association will host a high-energy film camp led by filmmaker Michael Turner, where students jump right into making movies—learning how to shoot, act, direct, and edit their own projects.
Each student will have the opportunity to create a short film, working collaboratively to bring their ideas to life.
The session wraps with a big-screen showcase at the Silver Falls Film Festival, held in August at the Palace Theater, where friends and family can come to watch their films, alongside the work of filmmakers from around the world.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Michael Turner's feature-length documentaries include The Way We Talk and Monument, which have screened at festivals, universities, and cinemas around the world. He has created work for Habitat for Humanity, the Oregon Jewish Museum, the Immigrant Story, Sheltering Silverton, and many other meaningful organizations, and serves as the programming director of the Silver Falls Film Festival.
Youth - Ages 11-13
All Materials Provided
Location: Silverton Art Center Park House
TEACH WITH US!
We are always looking to bring exciting classes to Silverton. If you’re interested in teaching a class, please fill out a class proposal! We look forward to sharing your talents with the community!
Course and Student Cancellation Policies
COURSE CANCELLATION POLICY
Occasionally the Silverton Arts Association may find it necessary to cancel a course or workshop due to low enrollment or other scheduling conflicts. If this occurs, registered students will be contacted and allowed to transfer to another class or be refunded the full course tuition and any additional fees.
STUDENT CANCELLATION POLICY
Students will receive a full refund of tuition and fees if the request to withdraw is no later than seven days prior to the first class session. A request to withdraw from a course less than seven days prior to the first class session will not be eligible for tuition and fee refunds. If you register for a class or workshop within seven days of the class, the cancellation policy will automatically forfeit your right to a refund if you then withdraw from the class. By registering and paying for the class you are agreeing to this cancellation policy.
YOUTH EMERGENCY CONTACT FORM
When enrolling your child, you will need to provide the Silverton Arts Center with information about emergency contacts, adults authorized to pickup your child after the class, allergies, etc. If you are purchasing for two or more children, please provide the required information via this form. Thank you for understanding that we want to keep your children safe.