Painting with a Twist

I was invited to participate in a fundraiser event at “Painting With A Twist” one Sunday afternoon. When I arrived, the main studio contained several long tables, filled with enthusiastic “artist wannabes,” anxious to uncover their hidden talents.

Some came to support the charity, others came for an afternoon outing with friends. One group of vacationers was simply looking for something fun to do other than a theme park!

Whatever the reason, everyone was having a good time. An attendant at the small beer and wine bar was busy filling plastic cups with red and white wine. Beer, water and soda were also available for sale.

The pre-selected picture to be painted was titled “Group Therapy,” whimsically depicting 2 glasses of wine (a subject matter most of this group could relate to easily!). Everything was set up for the approximately 50 “budding artists” who came to the afternoon lesson: a 16″ x 20″ canvas on an easel (already pre-painted with a black background), a plate with all the acrylic paints needed, 3 different sizes of brushes, a cup of water for cleaning the brushes, and a white apron to protect our clothes.

The cheerful instructor at the head of the room explained how the session would progress, and emphasized the main purpose of the day was to have fun. After a quick description of each of the brushes and how paints should be mixed, we were ready for step one. The pace was steady and well-planned, yet easy to follow – add more detail or keep it simple, the choice was yours. It was fun to take a break and walk around the room to see how others were interpreting the lesson.

The afternoon was enjoyable, and my resulting take-home “masterpiece” certainly impressed my friends and family (who heretofore greatly underestimated my artistic talent!).

The company is committed to giving back to the community and has created the “Painting with a Purpose” concept where local nonprofits can raise funds for their organizations.

For fundraising events, one half of the standard price ($17.50 or 22.50) of the standard price ($35 or $45) goes to Painting with a Twist, the rest goes to the not-for-profit organization. Painting With A Twist gives the not-for-profits the option of charging more for the event (perhaps reserving the party room beforehand for a meeting or social gathering), and raising more revenue for the event.

Painting With A Twist is a franchise operation that started in 2007 in Louisiana, and now has 76 locations in several states. Over the years, the company has produced, and owns the copyright to, over 2500 pieces of art.