On May 13, the Westwood Community League held a Paint Night. The event was well attended and may influence other community leagues to follow suit.

Paint Nights have been a fixture of social networking around Edmonton for the past few years, and are a guided painting activity where everyone who attends makes their own painting of the same scene. Minus our stint at home at the pandemic’s peak, people have been flocking to Paint Nights to bring out their inner Bob Ross, to enjoy some sips and savours, and to go home with their newest masterpiece. What is beautiful about this trend is that anyone can participate despite their skill level and connect with others while doing so. 

At its core, Paint Nights are a creative way to hang out with friends, colleagues, or strangers. Enjoy light conversation, a drink or two, and follow along with an instructor for every brush stroke. The purpose of the instruction is so that all participants can perform at the same level. The conversation and beverages are the accoutrements.

“So I went to a Paint Night for a bachelorette party,” says April Bourque, a Delton community member. She goes on to say it was a perfect event for her friend and bride-to-be because there wasn’t any pressure to drink or “get wild.” “I’ve been wanting to do another Paint Night. I remember being proud of it [the painting]. I was intimidated when we started because the people beside me were very artistic. [But] I was really impressed with my experience.” Bourque says her group enjoyed the pace at which the instructor taught and the openness to make mistakes and experiment. 

Melanie Greenfield, resident of 118 Avenue and an avid Paint Night attendee, points out a possible improvement. “I enjoy them, but you definitely have to go in with a c’est la vie attitude. There is never enough time, brushes, or colours to get it looking the way I’d like.” However, other community members like Christine Mawer and Melissa Owen frequent the creative events and enjoy them immensely.

Some organizations have coined the event style, “Sip and Paint,” and “Paint, Sip, and Relax.” Regardless of the brand, these events seem to achieve the purpose intended. The events bring people together to engage, to meet new friends, and to access a creative side that may not be utilized due to their busy lives.

For more information about upcoming events in your community, follow your league’s newsletter or Facebook page.