A little art therapy for a girls' night out in Chicago

Bring your own beverage and a little creative spirit for a fun night with friends

By Alaina Buzas
Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Arts N Spirits in Bucktown will make you feel like your painting belongs in the Art Institute.

Chicagoland is home to plenty of creative studios where kids can learn, play and get a little messy, but where are the grown-ups supposed to go? More importantly, where can they go without kids and with their beverage of choice in hand?

Arts n Spirits in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood fulfilled my craving for a night of creativity, wine and some much needed stress-free time with a close friend.

We arrived early, which meant we were able to stake out what we thought was the best painting table-the one where nobody else could see our easels. We hadn't picked up a paintbrush for years and were a little scared of what might end up on our canvases.

Our fears disappeared after the first five minutes of class. With Arts n Spirits, you choose a date to attend and know ahead of time what you'll be painting.

At the class, you can follow along with the step-by-step instructions or go at your own pace with your own image. My class was painting a beach scene, but being a Midwestern girl, I opted out on the palm trees and added my own personal touches to my Lake Michigan shore instead.

The class had a very relaxed atmosphere, with music playing and a lot of chit-chat. I won't say I emerged with a newfound inspiration to become a professional artist, but I definitely had a dose of therapy.

Plus, now a beautiful beach scene painting-complete with a UFO-hangs in our Chicago Parent office.

This article appeared in the January 2013 edition of Chicago Parent.