sip and paint
Looking for something different to do, by yourself or with a group? Wouldn’t mind a glass of wine, but not into the bar scene?
One of the more intriguing options out there is to “sip and paint” — meaning just what the name implies: Sip some wine (most often bringing your own) while you paint a piece of art you can take home.
Not artistic? No problem.
“Everyone has the urge to be creative; to let your inner-artist out,” said Melissa Salatino of Vino & Vernici Paint Parties. “Plus, going to a ‘sip and paint’ event is a less threatening, more fun environment to try something new.”
Janice Meyer has tried several events.
“If you don’t think you have [artistic] talent, the teacher will help you find it … and you’ll have fun in the process,” Meyer said. Her favorite is Splash Mob painting parties with Gloria Kreitzberg.
“She actually teaches us things — techniques, tips, tricks,” Meyer said. Today, she not only hangs her paintings in her home, but has given them away to family and friends and has even sold a couple.
Kreitzberg has been operating her business for two years while also holding down a full-time job in graphic arts and marketing.
“A potential client had a retail store and asked me to do a group painting class there,” she recalled. The business blossomed from there.
She combines the painting with music, dance, and sometimes even sing-alongs.
“I try to make people come out of their shells,” Kreitzberg said, adding that the “surprise,” for her is that her own life has become so enriched by the new friends she has made.
People bring wine to her classes, as well as food, and everyone shares.
“It’s not fine art school,” said Amber Dority, manager of one of four Painting with a Twist franchises in the area. “We’re a place to come, unwind, relax, and enjoy the company. All ages are welcome.”
Jami Cimino has owned and operated Created By Us Pottery in Fairport for almost 10 years. While “pottery” is in the name and you can certainly paint on pottery at her studio, she also offers opportunities to paint on canvas, glass and wood.
An artist for going on 35 years, Lesley Shakespeare-Brogan has been offering “paint and sip” classes for about four years.
“If you can take simple direction and hold a paint brush in your hand, you’re good to go,” she said with a laugh. “It’s something to do, other than going out for drinks. And, you get to go home with a finished product.”
It gets you out of the house, no kids, for [up to] three hours,” Rogina Davis said, “and you can go by yourself or with a group.”
What’s not to love? To get you started, here’s a sampling (in no particular order) of the offerings out there locally. There are literally dozens of others, too, so don’t be afraid – go paint!
Vino and Vernici
Locations: Various, including Casa Larga, Perinton; A Gust of Sun Winery, Spencerport; Three Brothers, Geneva; and the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua.
Meaning of the name: Translated from Italian, it means “wine and paint”
Owner/Operator: Melissa Salatino
Website: vinoandvernici.com
Phone: (585) 259-7189
Highlights: Salatino also does private parties. She will be at Casa Larga every Thursday in March and April
Specialty: She is known for teaching painting on wine glasses, but also teaches painting on canvas and “switches it up” with painted wine bottles or pint glasses as well
Time: Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for a class
Cost: $25, minimum of eight people
Designs: If taking a class, the teacher chooses; if hosting a private party, the host chooses
Key quote: “A glass of wine helps the creative juices flow,” Salatino said. “It loosens people up a bit.” Since she wants people to be happy with their finished project, she will help them get “back on track” or touch a piece up, if necessary, she said.
Splash Mob Painting Parties
Locations: Various, including some area restaurants; community and recreation centers, private clubs, colleges, and even a garden center. She also does team-building events; private parties in people’s homes; and parties for older children
Owner/Operator: Gloria Kreitzberg
Website: splashmobpaintingparties.com
Phone: (585) 310-2584
Specialty: She only teaches painting on canvas.
Time: Allow 3 hours for a class, though she can do a shorter class if desired.
Cost: $40 for a three-hour class.
Designs: If taking a class, the teacher chooses; if hosting a private party, the host chooses
Key quote: “I wanted to be different; not like anyone else,” Kreitzberg said, explaining that her focus is on quality and teaching professional painting techniques. “I actually teach students about art — not just painting.” Her emphasis is on fun, so she combines dance, music, wine and food.
Painting With A Twist
Locations: Part of a large franchise operation, there are four area studios in Fairport, Brighton-Henrietta, Greece, and Webster.
Manager: Amber Dority runs the Fairport and Win-Jeff Plaza locations, owned by her parents
Website: Go to paintingwithatwist.com, type in your zip code, and a list of local studios will come up
Phone: (585) 321-5577 (Fairport studio)
Specialty: Painting on canvas or wood cutouts
Time: There are both two- and three-hour classes
Cost: $35 for a two-hour class; $45 for the (more advanced) three-hour class.
Designs: A calendar, with a picture of the design for each class, is posted online the first of every month. You can reserve a seat for an individual or group. Private parties are offered for groups of 10 or more.
Created By Us Pottery
Location: 3 Railroad Street, Fairport
Owner: Jami Cimino
Website: createdbyuspottery.com
Phone: (585) 223-8210
Regular hours: Noon to 8 p.m. (or 6:45 p.m., if there are no painters), Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
Specialty: Painting on pottery, canvas, glass, or wood door hangers
Time: Walk-ins are welcome, unless there is a scheduled class
Group reservations: Groups can reserve for a specific time and date; if all participants are over the age of 21, wine and beer may be brought in. Food is welcome. Groups have included team-building exercises, holiday and birthday parties, showers, etc.
Cost: Varies, depending on project; there is also a $40 a year membership option available.
Specialty: If you’re painting on pottery – there are a wide variety of options — you have to leave your piece for clear glaze and firing, then may pick it up in a week; you can generally take other projects home the same day.
Key quote: “We have enough tools to help you; it’s fun for all ages,” Cimino said. She also goes out and teaches, particularly at Lifespan facilities and day care centers, and specializes in working with special needs students.
Hope In Art Studio
Location: Studio and gallery at 144 Mill St., Canandaigua
Owner: Lesley Shakespeare-Brogan
Website: hopeinartstudio.com
Phone: (585) 727-4574
Specialty: Painting on canvas, but also offers ongoing, six-week classes in acrylics or colored pencil
Time: Allow about 2.5 hours for a class.
Cost: $25 for a one-time class.
Reservations: Any group can reserve for a specific time and date, but she also has regular “date and paint nights” and “mother-daughter” classes. She will also go out to teach a class for a corporate event, “girls’ night,” or children’s party. She will be hosting an animal art exhibit for the month of April.
Key quote: “I’m walking around constantly, offering little tips and individual attention,” Shakespeare-Brogan said. She also does demos, recognizing that some students need visuals. She formerly taught at Monroe Community College.
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