Fine Arts
Bee-School
Growing little artists – one painting at a time
Working artists all have one thing in common: time. Time with one artist’s work, one set of ideas, one body of technique to absorb and make their own.
Fine Art Bee-School gives that same gift to our youngest artists. Each five-week cycle immerses children in one artist’s world — their techniques, their materials, the thinking behind what they made — building toward a studio exhibition of the children’s own work, twice a term.
The Session
Every Bee-School session moves through four dedicated studio experiences:
Fine Art Lesson — Guided instruction in real technique and the language of art, taught through the artist currently being studied. Children build a series of works to take home and display with pride.
Process Art Session — The value is in the process, not just the finished piece. Children explore materials and methods, test ideas, and make their own decisions along the way.
Sculpture Exploration Session — Three-dimensional studio work, building a scene, animal or object using sculpture materials and imagination.
Drawing Portfolio Session — Guided drawing exercises that build foundational skill, shaped around what children naturally want to explore.
Our Approach
A world built around one artist. Each cycle centres on a single artist — their country, culture, and body of work — bringing real cultural context into the studio. It builds toward a genuine exhibition, where children’s work is displayed and celebrated the way a real gallery would treat it. Every child takes a completed body of work home after each exhibition.
Watching an artist develop. The real value is in the repetition — week after week immersed in the same fine art environment. Over a cycle, we watch children move from first attempts to considered choices: observing before creating, making deliberate decisions about colour, form and composition, and carrying a piece through to completion.
Led by specialists in this age group. Our teachers work within real preschool attention spans, weaving movement and enquiry through every session rather than asking children to sit still for three hours.
Meet our Teachers
Fine Art Bee-School is led and taught by a team of practising artists and educators who bring real studio experience — and a genuine love of teaching — to every class.
Grace Lickley, Fine Art Bee-School Director, holds a Bachelor of Natural History Illustration and works across digital and traditional drawing, watercolour, acrylic, polymer clay and fine liner. She was accepted into the National Art School Sydney’s Intensive Studio Program specialising in Life Drawing and has exhibited her work in multiple shows. Grace has taught at both primary and high school level and is deeply committed to helping children discover their creativity and develop real artistic skill.
Lee Seaman holds a Diploma in Graphic Design and brings over nine years’ experience as an art director, alongside qualifications in fashion design. She draws inspiration from the beauty and colour of childhood, and is passionate about giving children the tools to push their creative capabilities and keep growing.
Summer Visocchi has taught in Bee-School since 2019 and is the organisational force behind the Fine Art program. Her love of both art and children shapes every class, and she’s driven by watching each child’s creativity thrive over time.
Charli Walker is a singer and practising artist from a musical and artistic family, specialising in drawing and watercolour painting. She’s part of the art program planning team as well as teaching, and enjoys connecting with each child to build their interest, skill and passion in art.
Laura Edwards studied drawing, painting, ceramics and sculpture, and works in oils, acrylics and watercolours alongside crafts like macramé, mosaic and jewellery-making. With over eight years as a high school teacher, she focuses on building young artists’ skills, confidence and a lasting appreciation for the arts.
What this means for your family: whichever specialist is leading your child’s class, the program itself — structure, technique, the artist-study cycle — stays consistent under Grace’s direction. You’re enrolling in a program built to last, not just a single class with a talented teacher.
Is Your Child Ready for Bee-School?
Bee-School offers immersive, creatively-led sessions designed for preschoolers ready to learn independently in a stimulating group setting.
As these are drop-off sessions with a rich, fast-paced program, we ask that children are toilet trained and confident engaging in structured activities without a parent present.
If you’re unsure whether your child is quite ready, we warmly invite you to arrange a visit — our team will be delighted to show you around and answer any questions.
Open our FAQs for more info.
Location: Hive Kids, 8 Frederick St, Charlestown
Bring:
Snacks, water bottle, change of clothes in a small bag.
We are a nut free facility – we do have children with anaphylaxis who attend Bee-School, please ensure that you do not pack any nut products.
Child Safety Information
Q: Is Bee-School a registered childcare centre?
A: No. Bee-School is a series of creative arts classes.
Q: What processes are in place to ensure my child’s safety?
A:
- Child safety is a shared responsibility and all of our experienced staff take safety seriously. Our staff are carefully selected for their ability to teach in a positive, fun and engaging manner, whilst ensuring the safety of their classroom and children at all times.
- All Bee-School staff hold a Working with children check and a first aid in childcare settings certificate.
- We have lockable pool gates at the entrance to Bee-School and at the end of the corridor. Gates are kept key locked during the Bee-School session to ensure no one can enter or exit the space during our sessions.
- We have minimum 3 staff members working together at all times with two small groups of children.
- We have safety cameras recording during the Bee-School sessions in case of any incidents.
- Two toilets are accessible within the art classroom at all times to children, doors are kept open and two staff work together in that space ensuring child safety.
Q: My child has food allergies – what processes do you follow for keeping them safe?
A: Children bring their own packed morning tea and/or lunch, and we never give children food or allow food to be shared.
A: Children with anaphylaxis: We do have safety processes in place however ask that you call us to discuss your child’s needs first so that we can ensure a safety and medical plan is put in place prior to your first visit.
Q: My Child has a medical condition – how will they be cared for?
A: Please contact us to discuss your child’s needs. As we are a learning program, not a childcare facility, we will carefully consider your child’s needs and discuss with you whether this program is suitable for your child.
Is My Child Ready for This?
Q: How do I know if my child is ready for this?
A: Creative and performing arts is a joyful experience! It’s important that each child attending Bee-School is ready for the amount of structured learning that is presented in the program and can have fun participating!
In your child’s first few weeks of their enrolment, our teachers will let you know if they are thriving, starting to grow into it or if they are not quite ready yet / feeling overwhelmed. Our satisfaction guarantee covers you should you enrol and then find that your child is not ready.
Q: My child may likely need additional support or has additional needs – is Bee-School suitable for them?
A: If your child has additional needs – for example high anxiety, a diagnosed behavioural disorder, or trauma, or any other needs that you think may impact their ability to participate, please complete this child info form & book a meeting with our Hive Kids Manager so we can work with you on the best pathway to your child participating.
Class Format
📍 Held at Hive Art Studio, 177 Pacific Highway, Charlestown
🚪 This is a drop-off class.
Parents are welcome to watch through the foyer window, though the classroom itself is a drop-off-only space so children can fully immerse themselves in the experience.
Class Info
Timetable: Check our live timetable for class times & vacancies.
Fees & Billing:
$79 / session
Monthly Billing: Billed automatically on the 20th of each month for the number of sessions scheduled in the calendar month ahead. If you enrol after the term begins, your fee will be pro rated from your start date.
Term Billing: Pay for the term upfront.
Enrolment length: All enrolments are for the duration of the school term, regardless of billing option selected.
Missed Classes
Notify your absence through the Client Portal at least 2 hours before your class, and you’ll receive a makeup token after your missed class ends. Use the token to book into Bee-School on another day. Makeup tokens are not transferable and positions are only open where vacancies exist.
Makeup tokens are valid for 4 months and can be used anytime while your enrolment is active.