A new trend in the Triangle is art studios that offer both a night of fun and an intensive painting class via wine and art.
The studios encourage participants to come and bring their own wine or beer, and with step-by-step instructions, a local artist leads a two or three hour class. Even the most inexperienced painter will come away with a great piece of art to hang up at home. The pieces vary from animals to landscapes, buildings, flowers, objects and even a Picasso or Monet-inspired piece.
Polka Dot Palette opened in Cary in January 2010. Brandon James owns the studio along with his wife, Amy. Polka Dot Palette has adult classes for ages 16 and up, teen classes for ages 11 and up and kids classes for ages six and up. Adult classes are $30 and kids classes are $20. The studio also has summer camps, track out camps, private parties and on-site parties. The studio has recently done an outdoor painting class on a college campus and even a bachelorette party.
James said some people don’t understand what Polka Dot Palette is and what it does. While the classes are art instruction classes, the main point is for people to come out and have a good time, bring a bottle of wine, beer or even water and hang out with friends.
“The wonderful thing is that it has opened people up… there are so few creative ways to express yourself artistically without doing it on your own,” James said.
The step-by-step classes are for all types of artists, even inexperienced ones.
“People will say ‘I can’t draw a stick figure,’ and 90 percent of people who leave are impressed with themselves and take a lot of pride with the paintings they’ve done,” James said.
Some people come into the classes without ever having painted before, and come out inspired and ready to create more art. One woman took a class at Polka Dot Palette and then started to take art classes at N.C. State.
“[She] never thought of [herself] as artistic and then [she] came in for one painting class and became hooked,” James said of the customer.
When people leave his classes wanting to do more, James feels it’s a wonderful side effect for what he does and it’s very inspiring.
Alice Scher, who has taken two classes at Polka Dot Palette, said she was surprised by the experience.
“I thought I was a bad painter and I really couldn’t paint, but it turned out great and I had a lot of fun,” Scher said.
James is a self-taught artist who has been doing art ever since he was little. He used to do mostly pencil art, portraits and sculpting, and never had a formal degree. His wife Amy does the computer and business side of things; she runs the schedule and the books.
“While Amy doesn’t teach classes, she has snuck in the back and done a painting without me knowing and it really impressed me. She won’t do it in a class though,” James said.
James and his wife both have day jobs as well, and while coming into the studio is work for them, James says it’s also about having a good time.
“When we have a class we truly form a bond with our customers. I love to see familiar faces coming back to the studio,” James said.
Artistic Abandon opened last July in Raleigh. Emily Page is the owner and says the studio has everything from Monet’s to Van Gogh’s to original paintings.
Classes are $30 for a two-hour painting class and $25 for kids classes. The studio also has private parties and is working on summer camps and track-out programs.
“Bring your own wine or beer — no liquor — and we’ll teach you to do a painting from start to finish in a two to three hour period. We walk you through it step by step, even if you think you can only do stick figures. By the end of the class you leave with a finished product,” Page said.
While the studio started as strictly mobile in Virginia, since Artistic Abandon moved to Raleigh it rarely gets requests for off-site parties.
“People get nervous about getting paint on the floor or their walls,” Page said.
Page, who has a degree in visual arts, teaches most of the classes, although there are assistant instructors who help teach and run private parties.
The studio has a “Heart-full Art” series once a month, which donates half of the proceeds from every event to a local charity. Artistic Abandon is having a fundraiser for the series on April 29 for a customer who needs a double lung transplant. The studio is selling extra paintings and half of the proceeds will go to the customer, while the other half will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Page said the studio is trying to raise as much money as possible.
Artistic Abandon also has special events like musical chairs night, black light night, couples night and paint-your-own-pet portrait night.
The studios encourage participants to come and bring their own wine or beer, and with step-by-step instructions, a local artist leads a two or three hour class. Even the most inexperienced painter will come away with a great piece of art to hang up at home. The pieces vary from animals to landscapes, buildings, flowers, objects and even a Picasso or Monet inspired piece.
Polka Dot Palette opened in Cary in January 2010. Brandon James owns the studio along with his wife, Amy. Polka Dot Palette has adult classes for ages 16 and up, teen classes for ages 11 and up, and kids classes for ages six and up. Adult classes are $30 and kids classes are $20. The studio also has summer camps, track out camps, private parties and on-site parties. The studio has recently done an outdoor painting class on a college campus and even a bachelorette party.
James said some people don’t understand what Polka Dot Palette is and what it does. While the classes are art instruction classes, the main point is for people to come out and have a good time, bring a bottle of wine, beer or even water, and hang out with friends.
“The wonderful thing is that it has opened people up… there are so few creative ways to express yourself artistically without doing it on your own,” James said.
The step-by-step classes are for all types of artists, even inexperienced ones.
“People will say ‘I cant draw a stick figure,’ and 90 percent of people who leave are impressed with themselves and take a lot of pride with the paintings they’ve done,” James said.
Some people come into the classes without ever having painted before, and come out inspired and ready to create more art. One woman took a class at Polka Dot Palette and then started to take art classes at N.C. State.
“[She] never thought of [herself] as artistic and then [she] came in for one painting class and became hooked,” James said of the customer.
When people leave his classes wanting to do more, James feels it’s a wonderful side effect for what he does and it’s very inspiring.
Alice Scher, who has taken two classes at Polka Dot Palette, said she was surprised by the experience.
“I thought I was a bad painter and I really couldn’t paint, but it turned out great and I had a lot of fun,” Scher said.
James is a self-taught artist who has been doing art ever since he was little. He used to do mostly pencil art, portraits and sculpting, and never had a formal degree. His wife Amy does the computer and business side of things; she runs the schedule and the books.
“While Amy doesn’t teach classes, she has snuck in the back and done a painting without me knowing and it really impressed me! She won’t do it in a class though,” James said.
James and his wife both have day jobs as well, and while coming into the studio is work for them, James says it’s also about having a good time.
“When we have a class we truly form a bond with our customers. I love to see familiar faces coming back to the studio,” James said.
Artistic Abandon opened last July in Raleigh. Emily Page is the owner and says the studio has everything from Monet’s to Van Gough’s to original paintings.
Classes are $30 for a two hour painting class, $ for a three hour painting class, and $25 for kids classes. The studio also has private parties and is working on summer camps and track-out programs.
“Bring your own wine or beer (no liquor) and we’ll teach you to do a painting from start to finish in a two to three hour period. We walk you through it step by step, even if you think you can only do stick figures. By the end of the class you leave with a finished product,” Page said.
While the studio started as strictly mobile in Virginia, since Artistic Abandon moved to Raleigh it rarely gets requests for off-site parties.
“People get nervous about getting paint on the floor or their walls,” Page said.
Page, who has a degree in visual arts, teaches most of the classes, although there are assistant instructors who help teach and run private parties.
The studio has a “Heart-full Art” series once a month, which donates half of the proceeds from every event to a local charity. Artistic Abandon is having a big fundraiser for the series on April 29 for a customer who needs a double lung transplant. The studio is selling extra paintings and half of the proceeds will go to the customer, while the other half will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Page said the studio is trying to raise as much money as possible.
Artistic Abandon also has special events like musical chairs night, black light night, couples night and paint your own pet portrait night.
Both studios periodically offer promotional deals like Living Social, Groupon, Twongo and more. Polka Dot Palette’s website is www.polkadotpalette.com and Artistic Abandon’s website is www.artisticabandon.com.
