Beautiful art made easy at Paint Nite
Many adults find that, when the painting classes of their childhood fade into memory, there remains an unmet need for expression, whereas others feel that they never really had the opportunity to become comfortable with painted art and wish that they could try it again. Paint Nite, a recent innovation from Massachusetts, aspires to fulfill the dreams of grown-ups who want to mix up some paints, grab a brush and create a work of beauty and colour.
Each event is designed to allow a prospective artist to forget about finding the right materials and work space and simply plunge into the artistic process. Attendees don official aprons and take their seats in a designated space full of blank canvasses, with the requisite paints, water and brushes already apportioned next to each easel. Drink orders are taken before the instruction begins and throughout the event, but do be careful never to confuse the beverages with the brush water.
When the art starts, the atmosphere remains relaxed and festive. For the next two hours, a Paint Nite artist will guide the participants through each step of the process, demonstrating how to use the brushes to add layer after layer of colour to the
canvass and build the pre-selected composition. In between instructions, participants enjoy music, conversation and drinks while they apply the techniques that they’ve just learned — with a little creative experimentation.
Although the goal for attendees is ostensibly to reproduce a pre-designed illustration, variation is not only natural, it’s inevitable. As the reborn artists express themselves, their strokes will flow with their own unique energy and rhythm, and they can easily adjust the locations and proportions of elements within the painting to better fit their abilities and sensibilities.
Indeed, there is nothing to stop a participant from taking the opportunity to produce an entirely new creation that bears no resemblance whatsoever to the template, and some do just that. However, the template painting has been selected partly because it can be comfortably completed within the allotted time, and the paint hues and brush sizes are specifically chosen to allow a painter to create something like that original. Too much innovation sacrifices the opportunity to learn the techniques that are being taught, and a more spontaneous composition may require more time and materials than are available.
The Paint Nite event model benefits more than just the artistic impulses of the participants. While ticket sales go to Paint Nite and the artist who facilitates the event, the venue profits from drink sales on a night that would otherwise bring in few customers, and Paint Nite can even be enlisted by charitable causes that have tired of conventional fundraisers like bake sales and auctions. A charity must arrange for the occasion with Paint Nite and sell its tickets, but, in return, it receives $15 from every ticket sale and an evening that requires no further organization from the fundraiser.
Unfortunately, because of the emphasis on the sale of alcoholic beverages — one of the organization’s official mottos is “Drink creatively” — minors are not allowed to participate in Paint Nites even if the venue permits their presence. Reginans, both young and old, who would prefer to paint socially in a chemfree environment can inquire with organizations like the Cathedral Arts School, which has initiated a Paint Party program that resembles Paint Nite but eschews the alcohol.
That means that there are options for people who would like to spend an evening enjoying the creativity and camaraderie that emerge when a group of people comes together to cultivate a passion for painting.