Sips n Strokes

Jackie and I have been in desperate need for an escape from the drama and craziness that's been going on lately. Luckily, one of Jackie's coworkers suggested getting a group together to go to Sips n Strokes. So they picked out a painting that everyone liked (a cute little holiday elf), and we signed up.

I was really looking forward to going. I'd been telling Jackie for a while that I wanted to find an artistic outlet. (I still think I'm going to start drawing again. I used to love it so much!)

When we stopped for dinner before our class, I told Jackie that I was really nervous. What if my painting looked awful? What if the kids there painted better than I did?

I decided that if it was a monumental disaster, I would say I was just channeling Picasso or Pollock.

Ready to paint!

We got to the place and waited in line to pay. I was looking at the artwork on the wall, and they have an entire section of nothing but naked women. I asked Jackie why we didn't sign up for one of those classes...

Anyway, we got our canvasses and our pallets and walked into the studio, where you get your paint. They already have it labeled so you know how much to get. One pump of red, two pumps of green, and so on.

We got our aprons and found our seats. We also had our drinks with us: Zaxby's sweet tea!

Wendy LoVoy, the founder of Sips n Strokes, ended up being our teacher! She told us that she'd seen a bunch of folks jack up their paintings, but they never let anyone go home with an ugly one. That made me feel better!

We started by outlining our elf in yellow paint; then we made a granny apple green for his hat, mixed up his face color ("a dot of red, a scoop of yellow, and a whole lotta white!"), and painted in his clothes. We also added dots and spots to his hat and the background.

A work in progress

The hardest part was the darn holly leaf on his hat, but it turned out OK. We practiced painting the leaves on the table. (You can see my practice leaf on the table in the picture below.)

Throughout the class, we all held up our paintings so Wendy could check them out. She sent her assistant around to help the folks that needed it. She told us that we were the best elf painters she thought she'd ever had!

The finished product!!!

When it was all said and done, I felt so proud of myself. It was so cool to watch my blank, white canvas transform into a unique, one-of-a-kind piece of art. Wendy was such a wonderful teacher! She explained every step and had a great sense of humor. She was so much fun!

I had a great time painting and spending time with Jackie's coworkers. We totally plan to go back! It's a great opportunity for couples to spend time together and try something new!