Pictures of Our Ladies' Wine and Art Night, Plus Tips for Hosting Your Own

Several years ago a friend mentioned that she wanted to attend a wine and art party in Raleigh. There was a bar there that offered a ladies night out where you could paint a portrait on canvas while sipping drinks from the bar. Not long after that, I saw an art studio that offered a similar ladies’ night out, and even more recently have seen Groupon deals offering similar classes.  I have wanted to do this for so long, but I was tired of waiting around, so I finally took matters into my own hands and decided to host a wine and art party myself. Why wait around for someone else to do what you can do yourself? Here is what I did to plan and host a ladies' wine and art night.

     Determine Interest. I had pitched the idea to some friends a couple of months ago, and made a mental note of who expressed interest, inviting them and taking their ideas into consideration when planning.

     Determine Location. We moved furniture to create a large open space in our basement, big enough for long folding tables and chairs. You might consider your basement, great room, a large dining room, patio, deck, well lit garage, or yard.

     Secure an Instructor. Wyatt Ramsey studied at Savannah College of Art and Design, and is now an art student at VCU.  He, his brother Curt, and his father Phil are all artists, and his mother Shelley is a blogger, speaker, and author, so this very talented family is well known in our community.  Consider a local artist, art student, or an art teacher in a local school to approach with your idea.

     Plan the Menu. Each participant at my party was asked to bring a bottle of wine or an appetizer to share with the group. I stocked up on wine, cheese, crackers, and fruit to add to the mix. You might provide the food yourself, have your event catered, have a covered dish, go with a theme, have a sign up list, or assign foods and beverages to participants.

    Create a Guest List. I talked to Wyatt about numbers prior to the event, and we decided that 6-10 would be ideal. Consult with your artist when creating your guest list to make sure s/he has enough supplies, and consider your space. You will need space for long tables, chairs, table easels, instruction space, as well as room for food and beverages.

    Name the Event and Get the Word Out. Come up with something clever like Art by the Glass, Belles with Brushes, Colorful Corks, or Wine and Design. I came up with the name “Corks and Canvas,” and promptly shared the private, invitation only event on facebook. In the invitation, I asked that everyone bring $20 to pay Wyatt for the class, and bring a bottle of wine or an appetizer to share with the group. I also described what we would paint as being “springy” or a floral of some type.  I emphasized the need for an accurate headcount.

Here’s how it all went down:

My guest list got a little out of control, and we ended up with 14 friends. We made do with what space we had, and it turned out perfectly. The more, the merrier! I was limited due to space and the nature of the event, so it felt at times like we were packed like sardines. My basement if fairly large, but with 14 women, one art instructor, 4 tables, chairs, easels, a buffet, and enough wine bottles to mistake us for Napa Valley, we easily filled the space.  It’s a great thing we all like each other so much! 

I had asked everyone to bring a bottle of wine or appetizer to share. I had food on reserve, and some people brought both wine and a dish.  We had a pretty sweet spread of buffalo chicken dip, tortilla chips, fruit pizza, cheeses, crackers, fruits, brownie bites, shrimp and cocktail sauce, and then some. I provided plates, napkins, cups, plus extra wine, cheese, crackers, and fruit. We laid the food out on the bar in the basement and put the wine on ice in a bucket.

I placed several bottles of wine around the paint tables, as well, so that the ladies could refill their cups without having to leave their paint stations. Our biggest problem was that after a glass or two of wine, we had a few paint brush in the wine glass mishaps. No big. We had plenty of wine to go round. We did also have trouble with our two elementary school teachers laughing a little too loudly and interrupting our instructor. We almost had to separate them, but after threatening them with time out, they behaved. A little behavior modification goes a long way.

This is the green vase with fresh flowered branches that we painted, and my lovely friend Blair. Wyatt walked us through what paint colors to mix, how to use the water with the paint, what to put on the canvas and in what order.

He talked to use about value, light, and shading. He talked us and walked us through drawing out the shape of the vase and measuring the branches with our eyes.

Beth and Grace showing off their beautiful paintings. I'm so glad that they were able to come to the class. Grace starts medical school at UVA this year, and her mom Beth is so proud of her! I know they enjoyed this mother-daughter time together while Grace is home visiting.   

Below is Sarah's beautiful painting. She is leaving Tuesday (her birthday) for London and hopes to visit an art museum while there. We were talking about how she will have a new appreciation for the art she sees after this painting class. Having just this brief lesson really opens your eyes to technique, perspective, and the wealth of talent that painters possess. 

Here we are the ladies with our instructor. Front row, l-r: Judith, Tracy, Wyatt, Jennifer, Back row, l-r: Lisa, Stephanie, Anna, Blair, Sarah, Jenny, Jennifer's mom Shirley who is visiting from Augusta, and me. Not pictured are Grace, Beth, and Rebecca.

I do have a few tips for you in case you decide to host a party of your own.

1.  Plan for more space than you think you will need.

2. Turn on the AC well before your guests arrive.

3. Make sure you have ample lighting. If you have your party outside on a deck or in the garage, plan according to daylight.

4. Have something to munch on at the table. In retrospect, I should have had bowls of nuts, goldfish, pretzels, or snack mix at each table.

5. Have bottles of wine at each table, so you can refill without having to disrupt the flow.

6. Have extra wine bottle openers, so 15 women aren't vying for the same bottle opener at the same time. Put one at each table so you don't happen to open every bottle. Put those ladies to work!

7. Remove any carpet from underneath the tables, and/or put down plastic underneath. I removed all carpets, but didn't put down any plastic or paper under the tables, so we had to scrub acrylic paint off the floors afterwards. That's not how you want to end your party.

Wyatt is pictured below with his painting. I am still giddy over the fact that he presented me with his painting at the end of the party. Now I have a Wyatt Ramsey original painting that I can hang in my basement. How awesome is that?! Believe me when I say that Wyatt had the patience of Job with our group last night. He was very professional and a pleasure to work with. If you are interested in hosting a similar party, please reach out to him. In addition to these parties, he paints gorgeous oil portraits, and I'm in line to have my children painted by him. His facebook page is here. Today is his birthday, so make sure you send well birthday wishes his way and tell him I recommended him. 

     I can't wait to hang my new painting in my house, so I'm off for a date with a hammer and a nail. Wishing you inspiration, creativity, and a new appreciation for the arts. Have a beautiful weekend, and make sure to take time to learn something new. You never know when you may learn to do something you love.

xoxo, Erin

Southern Virginia Mom

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