Blank canvases? More wine, please.

About 4 months ago I saw some photos an old college friend in Seattle had posted on facebook of she and a group of friends in an art studio, all painting pictures of the Space Needle and drinking wine.

I was so jealous and vocally complained to Husband that (as usual) some other city had places way cooler and more interesting to go to than Minneapolis (simmer down local readers....it's not true, it's just my lived-here-for-14-years-which-is-10-more-than-I-planned-on automatic response).  And I'm not much of a painter (never tried), but the 'drinking wine' while painting part of it is what got me.  Go figure.

So imagine my delight when I discovered that not only is there a bar/art studio here, but that it is only 15 minutes from my house!

It's called The Paint Pub and on their website it's described as an "Art Studio Cafe", which is a fancy way of saying it's a big painting studio with (more importantly) a big bar that serves a nice (and surprisingly vast and inexpensive) selection of wines by the glass or bottle, beer, paninis and regular sandwiches, salads, chips, candy and soda (which I can only imagine is for the children).

Thing 2 went to a birthday party there last month and recommended I try the root beer when I went (silly girl).

But last night it was finally my turn.

Our group of Minnesota Bloggers got together again to try our hand at painting one of Minneapolis' favorite landmarks (I'm guessing here - 14 years and I still am not sure I've actually seen it) - The Stone Arch Bridge.

Most of us went into it believing there'd be some kind of outlining done for us or even better, a paint-by-numbers format, but nope.  16 blank canvases staring us into our sober eyes.  We quickly formed a line at the bar.

Me and Sally and our cups of courage.

After many self-depricating comments about our artistic abilities, sneaking peeks at other people's paintings (thanks, Kelly) and wondering how much white-out it would take to cover half a canvas, we found our rhythm and discovered our inner-Monets and were doing things like mixing and shading and blending like the pros (which may or may not have been in direct correlation to the second glasses of wine we were drinking).  

Getting started.
I thought the bridge part was challenging, until I had to paint the Minneapolis skyline.

Melissa and Dawn 

My painting at the mid-way point.
According to Laura (the instructor), I have "a delicate touch".
If I had a nickel for every time I've heard that....

Setting up on the street corner next weekend.  

Showing off.  

I think I'm kind of hooked on this place.

I came home and told Husband to clear out the cabinet next to the thousands of dollars of unused scrapbooking supplies so I have a place for all the brushes and canvases and paints I'll be picking up this week.  

Nah, I'm kidding.

I'll stick with The Paint Pub. There's a sa-weet Elvis portrait I'm dying to paint.

And if you are a friend or relative reading this, your Christmas present surprise might have just been spoiled. 

You are welcome in advance.