Sitting around talking to your dogs and binging on Netflix is absolutely dreamy, but the thrill can only last so long. Sooner or later you’ll be itching to get out of the house to protect your sanity. This usually occurs when you’re watching “Women Behind Bars” for the eighth time – or your dogs start talking back.
That’s when you know it’s time to try PaintNite.
What’s PaintNite?
Billed as the “original creative nite out,” PaintNite involves a very casual, full-of-fun group class of sorts where you all work on painting your version of whatever picture is on the canvas up front. Local artists host the event, so you’re apt to meet talented, friendly and really cool people. This counts for the teacher as well as the people in the crowd.
You don’t find too many people in bad moods when they’re eating, laughing and tapping into creativity while playing with paint. The event is held at local venues, which can include restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, bars or other places that don’t mind a bit of paint on the chairs or floor.
What You Do
Round up a few pals, whether they think they have any artistic talent or not, and promise them they’ll LOL if they go to PaintNite with you.
Head online to search for PaintNite options in your location, picking a painting that doesn’t make you vomit. (Yeah, some are pretty cheesy, but others are fabulously cool). Book your desired date, then show up to LOL.
Get there about 30 minutes early so you can order food and drinks if available. This will also help you get a seat that’s not crammed in the back with an unobstructed view of the bathroom.
Why You Need to Try It
The event is just too much fun. I attended one at Mimi’s Café in Tucson with pals Vicky and Lynn (pictured above). We laughed. We cried. We spilled things. In short, we had a rollicking good time.
OK, we didn’t cry, but we could have since we were laughing so hard. And I don’t think anyone spilled anything, either, although I did come close to making a major mess when I nearly dipped an apron string in the paint palette when I was trying to position the apron to save Vicky’s seat.
Part of the fun came from our talented instructor, Tucson artist Kimberly Tipton, whose creativity spans the board from blacksmithing to painting Van Gogh reproductions as a toddler. She set down the one and only rule for our class:
Don’t Hate on Your Painting
Everyone’s painting is going to be different, unique – and good, no matter what you may think. The point is to unleash your creative spirit and have fun, not obsess about making your painting look exactly like the example up front. Spewing negative energy not only hurts the creative flow, but it defeats the entire purpose of the evening. Let go, enjoy and love what you create instead.
Additional tips for making the most of PaintNite include:
Get discounted tickets: Groupon is always running PaintNite specials, and you can usually score a discount on the PaintNite website itself if you poke around enough before buying.
Don’t expect to look good in the apron: It’s green. It’s baggy. And it tends to make even athletic types look like a dowdy fat housewife. Don’t sweat it. At least it’s protecting your clothes.
Feel free to add your own creative spin: In PaintNite circles, veering away from the example painting is called “going rogue.” And Kimberly said some of the coolest PaintNite painting’s she’s seen came from those gone rogue. I went semi-rogue to add a layer of meaning to my PaintNite creation.
PaintNite painting gone semi-rogue.
Rogue elements include collection of yellow-eyed monsters along the terrain and spiritual beings in the sky. Clouds were crafted to pay tribute to those who have died and gone to heaven, including Dad and dog Sawyer (aka The Bubble).
Love what you see? Head to PaintNite to create your own masterpiece.
Or head to rynski’s etsy shop for additional art and inspiration.
