

In 2007, Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney founded Painting with a Twist in New Orleans, Louisiana. They couldn’t get out of their own heads.” Her business, Sips ’N Strokes, was the first to establish the BYOB painting class format. Lovoy observed, “ were nervous about making them perfect. She noticed that the adults were taking too long to finish their paintings. In 2002, Wendy Lovoy began hosting painting classes for kids and adults at her studio outside of Birmingham, Alabama. The classes are heavily marketed to women as a "girls' night out" experience.

Customers are encouraged to bring their own beverages ( BYOB), or purchase them if the studio has a liquor license. The typical paint and sip business offers group painting classes that last for 2–3 hours. Furthermore, the "party atmosphere" of paint and sip businesses, as well as the lack of a requirement to be "artistically savvy," are seen as draws for professionals with no background in the arts who want to make a career change. The popularity of paint and sip companies among potential franchise owners is commonly attributed to the drive of professionals with marketing or business experience to "get out of Corporate America". Paint and Sip studios are mostly franchises, and the industry has steadily increased in popularity since 2012. Alcohol is used to reduce inhibitions and “overthinking” in order to make the creative process feel easier. These classes typically focus on painting as a fun activity for “unwinding,” enrichment,” and “relieving stress”, rather than as a technical skill requiring practice like the classes at an atelier or an art school. When class attendees finish, they get to keep their creations.
#Muse bar kid nights professional#
For more of her work and that of the journal, please visit paint and sip industry includes experience-based businesses that hire professional artists to provide step-by-step instructions to reproduce a pre-selected work of art while they drink wine or other beverages. "You can come in and you can get caught up in the painting, and for that two-and-a- half hours you're not thinking about anything else other than just kind of perfecting your piece," Finch said.ĭanielle Brody is a reporter for the Westchester County Business Journal. People often tell him the experience is therapeutic. New and experienced painters are welcome to stray from the instructions and use different colors or add their own creative elements, Finch said. Events for kids and families typically cost $29 per person, Finch said.įinch said while people learn to paint in the class, it is not academic. A painting session typically costs $35, which provides a canvas, apron and painting supplies. He said Muse also provides a curated selection of beer and wine. "You may not be able to see the instructor the right way." "We like having our own locations so we can really invest and create the artistic vibe and optimize for this exact experience, as opposed to in bars you just kind of throw a few things together," he said. There is a stage for the instructor to lead the class, and an assistant walks around helping painters.

The approximately 3,000-square-foot space in White Plains will have a main studio with separate rooms for private events, so multiple events can be held simultaneously. The traveling business offers a similar experience to Muse's in existing bars, usually on an otherwise slow night.įinch said a venue solely for painting creates a better experience because it is specifically built for that purpose. He said the business also matched his retail experience and Leigh's artistic background.Ī similar business, Paint Nite, is also active in Westchester. "We thought a business like this would be really fun to start and to run," he said. He said he originally saw the concept in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The paint bar serves tapas-style food that people can eat while painting, like bruschetta, hummus platters and spinach and feta triangles.įinch and his co-founder Vanessa Leigh, an artist and actress, opened their first location in Manchester, N.H., in 2012. Finch said instructors talk about half the time, giving people time to socialize. Painting sessions last two to two and a half hours with a break included for painters to catch up, eat and drink.
