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?
If you go
Arts n Spirits
- 1921 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
- artsnspirits.com
- (773) 772-3877
Other Chicagoland painting
studios
- Bottle & Bottega, multiple Chicagoland
locations, bottleandbottega.com - Both Sides, Pilsen, facebook.com/bothsidesart
- The Brigantine Gallery, Downers Grove, vickeryart.com. Offers
family paint and play on Thursdays and adult paint and play on
Fridays.
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.