聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 A popular outing across the board and a fun new way to enjoy an evening has been popping up across the country in various forms. The idea is to spend an evening with friends, while learning how to paint.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Locally Whitney Paul, the Arcola School art teacher and an artist in her own right, has been hosting local paint nights.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 friend of mine asked me if I had ever taught one, but if there was interest, I said I would look into it,鈥� Paul explained.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Looking into it, turned into a fundraiser for the Stoughton Daycare, which was quite popular and further interest in the area popped up.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚鈥檝e hosted them for the Carlyle Figure Skating Club, I鈥檝e done another one for the Stoughton Daycare, and I鈥檝e hosted a few just in Arcola here for kids as well as for adults,鈥� Paul said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Additionally, Paul has been asked to Reston, MB, to host one of these evenings.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Essentially the idea behind the activity is to provide a fun evening out, while learning how to paint and creating your own masterpiece to take home.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 will either choose a painting or the group doing the fundraiser will pick,鈥� Paul explained. 鈥淚 create my own as an example and teach the group how to paint; so, skills like colour mixing. Some that have come have had experience, but it鈥檚 a basic learn to paint, step by step.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Cost of the event covers the rental fees of the space they鈥檙e painting in and covers supplies, and at the end of the night they get to leave with their canvas. Provided for the evening are the easels used, canvas, paint, and paint brushes.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun, it鈥檚 a little bit different than teaching art in school; it鈥檚 acrylic paints are my own personal interest and it鈥檚 fun to work with kids and adults in a different environment,鈥� Paul explained.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Helping her at these paint nights is grade 12 student Christy McNeil, who has been a big help: 鈥淪he鈥檚 great to have helping, she keeps me on task,鈥� Paul laughs.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 They welcome approximately 20 individuals at each event, which Paul says is a good number to have.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice because then it鈥檚 not too big, but it stays busy throughout the night,鈥� she explained.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Currently there are none organized, yet, for the New Year; but, there has been interest shown in the event.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of fun and as long as they鈥檙e popular, I鈥檒l keep doing them,鈥� Paul said.
