Painting pairs with pints at King’s Head Pub
KYLA FLETCHER, CONTRIBUTOR
Kate Doer, 21, waits patiently during the Paint Nite Drink and Dry break at Kings Head Pub and Eatery on Monday, Nov. 30. THE PROJECTOR/Kyla Fletcher
“I solemnly swear never to say my painting sucks, never to ask to trade paintings with another artist, and not to break my canvas in half due to frustration,” recited Kate Doer, 21, along with the other artists that attended Paint Nite at Kings Head Pub and Eatery on Monday, Nov. 30
That was just part of the mandatory oath recited by the artists. Instructor Rebecca Sutherland led the guests through the oath with their brushes in the air and their hands over their hearts with a cheeky grin, evoking laughter from everyone in the room.
“This is the first Paint Nite I’ve been to,” said Doer, 21, a student and the coordinator of a children’s camp at Winnipeg Aboriginal Sports Achievement Centre. “Balancing school and work gets stressful so I’ve been looking for ways to relax.” Doer said she plans to make the event part of her regular schedule and hopes to gradually move up to a higher level of painting.
According to the website, Paint Nite is an event held at bars and bistros across the city. Tickets in Winnipeg are approximately $50 but can often be found on the coupon website Groupon for much less. Each guest is supplied with brushes, an apron, all the paint they need, and a canvas to paint on that they take home after they’ve completed their piece.
The event started at 7 p.m., and halfway through the artists were given a 15 minute ‘drink and dry’ break to allow their paint to set and get a drink from the bar downstairs.
Sutherland led the group step-by-step through the painting example at the front of the room, but she also said artists are welcome to paint any interpretation of her painting or something completely different if they wanted.
Lauren Wycoff, a business student, says she has yet to attend a Paint Nite event, but plans to do so in the near future.
“A group of my friends and I bought tickets to one at the Kings Head for over the holidays,” said Wycoff. “I’ve never actually painted before so I’m not sure how it’s going to go, but I’m excited to try something new.”
Like Wycoff, many of the artists at the events are brand new to painting. The pieces taught at Paint Nite vary in detail and difficulty, so artists of every skill level are welcome.
Tickets are available as well as information on instructors, venues, and upcoming events on the Paint Nite website at www.paintnite.com.
