My girlfriends and I came across a little painting studio which offers BYOB Painting Classes for the budding artist within and the fact that you can enjoy a glass of wine whilst expressing your inner Picasso, just makes painting so much more fun!

Located in the heart of the Flatiron district, the Paint Along studio fits a class of about 12 people. When we went, they were mostly ladies, looking forward to learning a thing or two about canvases and acrylics. The Paint Along crew is friendly and super-helpful. The 2 hour class takes you step by step and shows you how to create lovely paintings fit to be displayed in any home! When you sign up online, you’re able to select what you’d like to paint. They have a calendar which shows you their monthly offerings, from scenic landscapes, abstract art to cute lovebirds, which is the class my girlfriends and I took.

I was very impressed at how simple our instructor made it for us to paint our masterpieces. Stencils were provided if you felt a little insecure about your ability to draw free hand and there was plenty of coaching if you felt unsure as to how to blend colours or where to place the eyes of your little lovebird. Our instructor was very encouraging and was always around if you needed some more paint or one-on-one attention.

We were so focused on our art pieces we almost forgot to drink our wine! All cups, painting supplies and aprons were supplied. All we needed to do was show up, bring the booze and our right-brain. After a long day at work, it was a very relaxing 2 hours to just sit and watch yourself turn a blank canvas into a beautiful work of art. Everyone did an awesome job in our class, even the self-professed non-artistic types.

So if you’re ever in NYC and feeling a little creative, grab some friends and  go to www.paintalongnyc.com and sign up for one of their many classes. And don’t forget to bring the wine!

Paint Along NYC
928 Broadway, Suite 803, New York, 917-474-558

Daphne Howe, partlySunny Contributor & Assistant Manager - Retail Merchandising at Victoria Secret