Getting Social With Canvas

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I recently went to a Painting Party. I was a little skeptical thinking it was a direct sales party but it wasn’t. To be fair, I get invited to a lot of direct sales parties. My husband says it is just women’s excuse to get together and gossip, but I digress. So after so many “sales” parties it was great to go a party that was just for fun.

When I got there I found a long row of tables with several places set as paint stations. Each station had an easel, paint brushes, water and a paper plate for paint. Talk about intimidating. Up on a high shelf there were two paintings; one was a wine glass and the other flower.  Each person chose which painting they wanted to do and then were given the option of using a stencil or not. I chose the stencil but just loosely used it to plan out my design. Then you choose your own colors and go for it. There is an artist to help and answer questions but most of us just learned as we went and had a great time. The most amazing thing was how different the paintings came out even though we were working from the same design.

At one point I realized how amazing it was and sadly, how self deprecating we all were. Painting and doing art with peers, in some respects, was more revealing than being naked.  Everyone started out laughing and cracking jokes but before long we were all getting into it and encouraging each other.  We were getting more creative and feeling good about our own creations. It was…well…magical.

So, I have thought a lot about that night and really want to recreate that feeling for my friends and kids. I want to try it again with my friends…maybe no artist…and my children and their friends. I think canvas is very intimidating to everyone, including kids. Maybe if they got the chance to play with canvas and paint, or even other mediums they would discover the artist within themselves. The trick is an encouraging atmosphere where everything is success and everyone’s ideas are celebrated.

It was great with a bunch of adult strangers so I can only imagine how great a bunch of uninhibited young people would do. I cannot wait to try this again!

See you at the clubhouse!