BYOB Painting Class

posted by yazmin

This weekend Chris and I got together with a group of friends including my bestie from NJ Mommy Blog for a BYOB painting party at Art Plus Studio in South Norwalk, CT. We had a blast channeling our inner artist while enjoying a night out with great friends. No kids allowed!

These painting parties are popping up all over the place. It seems like every week I see pictures on my Facebook feed of friends holding up their masterpieces. The classes looked like a lot of fun, plus I saw that Living Social had coupons so I figured I had nothing to lose.

The doors open about 20 minutes before class starts. You’re encouraged to bring your own beverages and snacks. I would suggest getting there when doors open to grab a desired seat, especially if you’re coming with a larger group. Seats fill up fast and by the time we arrived there was no room for our party of six to sit together. We made the best of it by getting up periodically and checking in with our friends and passing around our desserts. I was so involved in my painting that it didn’t make too much of a difference who was sitting next to me anyway.

The studio provides smocks, water, cups, and painting supplies. For an additional fee you can purchase a larger canvas.

I haven’t painted since my elementary school days so I was a bit curious how my final product would look, but I figured I wouldn’t take myself too seriously after a glass or two of wine. Once I got in the groove I really started to enjoy the whole process of painting. I found it very relaxing. It’s a huge change from the everyday chaos that is my life. The class has even inspired me to look into taking a beginner’s painting class.

Each class paints a different piece. Our painting theme was bamboo. Our instructor, Ali, was great. She walked us through each step of the painting process. The class is less about technique and more about a fun way to get out with friends while trying something new. I was surprised to see how similar everyone’s painting looked despite the different ability levels.

I was very pleased with my piece. I would definitely consider signing up for one of their other classes. The studio offers several different types of painting sessions. They have paint your pet, paint your partner, paint wine classes, nude models (how fun would that be for a bachelorette party?), and even private parties. Classes sell out fast. You can checkout their website for their calendar of events.