How do I become a painter's istant/aprentice?

my uncle always says that if you want to get to the top, you have to start at the bottom. I'd love to hang around a painter's studio, see what he/she does, how they work, wash their brushes, go out and get them paint, clean up, listen to their stories, let them show me their techniques...for the summer, etc, etc, but where do I look?? to find one? (In montreal) I'm planing on asking around tot he people around mount royal this summer, but thats th eonly place I can frickin think of.