Name that Painting! Win a free class!



Flower Power
July 10, 2015
7-10pm

Field of Flowers
July 25, 2015

7-10pm



Spinning Flowers

July 3, 2015

7-10pm

We are so excited to be unveiling some of our new artwork for our July Calendar in today's post! Many of you have requested to paint more landscapes and floral scenes, so over the last couple of weeks, our instructors have been creatively striving to make it happen! Of course, now we are faced with the daunting task of naming all of them! This actually provides us with the unique opportunity to revive the "Name that Painting" game that has been a fun favorite of our painters. If you've never played this game before, I think you will quickly like it, partially because we award prizes for participation!

Golden Pond
July 17, 2015

7-10pm

The rules of the game are simple as well as fun! We will be posting each of the paintings featured in this post to our Facebook page throughout the month of July. Follow this link to see the first painting in need of a name. Participates will simply leave suggestions for names in the comments section of the post or like a name that has been suggested. The more creative and imaginative the name the better! Each painting will be available to comment on for a week. At the end of the week, the suggested name with the most likes will become the painting's new name and the person who contributes the winning name will receive a free class! A second name will be drawn from the pool of people of have liked and shared the painting to their news feed on Facebook, so be sure to like and share the "Name that Painting" during the course of the contest for a second chance to win a free class. We will be posting several paintings to Facebook, so there should be multiple chances to win a prize!

Grassy Bank

July 11, 2015

7-10pm

The paintings in this post along with their really "Original" names as they were dubbed by Johnny (now you understand the necessity to have them changed) are the paintings that will be featured in our "Name that Painting" game! The dates and times are listed below each of the paintings for when they will be taught in the studio. I am attaching a link to our July calendar also for your convenience. Seats in the classes are limited, so be sure to sign up early to guarantee your spot! However, if you are unable to register for one of the regular class dates when its offered, do not fret. These paintings will be made available to paint in the Open Studio and Creative Corner classes with Step-by-Step instructions towards the end of July. Let's get those creative juices flowing and let the games begin! Have fun!

Our Fearless Leader is getting certified!

Greetings from the Sunshine State! Johnny and I have returned to the beautiful beaches of Florida for a two week working vacation! We have made the eleven hour journey to enjoy the blissful sunshine, cool breeze, salt ocean waves, and sand between our toes...oh wait...that's what I'll be doing for the next two weeks! Johnny will be attending the last two weeks of classes to become certified in Bob Ross Landscape painting! The course takes three weeks to complete in order to become certified. So after taking the first week back in September of last year (you can read about that adventure here "How's Married Life?") he decided to knock out the last two weeks here in April in order to teach oil painting classes this summer. That's right! Hold onto your hair people, because the fro will be coming to town to teach oil painting classes this summer using the style of beloved artist Bob Ross. Many of you may remember his program on PBS years ago called "The Joy of Painting," where he painted and instructed his audience on how to paint an oil painting in under 30 minutes. Don't worry we won't expect you to paint them that quick, but we are really excited about this new offering we'll be able to provide! So many of our patrons have inquired about art lessons! 

For those of you who might be interested in exploring oil paints, the media of the great masters, we will be posting information about our upcoming workshops over the next couple months on our Facebook page. If you have any questions about these upcoming workshops, just leave me a comment below. For now, I'll leave you with a couple of the highlights of Johnny's first week here pictured above and to the left! Enjoy!

How artist paints are formulated and manufactured

I wanted to share a couple videos to our painting audience that I found while surfing YouTube the other day. The first video is from a program on the Discovery Channel called "How it's Made" and in the four minute segment it details the formulation and manufacturing of Windsor and Newton oil paints. I found the video to be quite interesting because it shows you how much must happen before those magical little tubes get into our creative hands. I am quite addicted to this program too and somehow it makes me a bit nostalgic of "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" and the field trips he'd take his viewers on to see how something was made. The beginning of this video is also great, because it features many of the raw materials that are used to create the pigments. Pigments are what make the paint a specific color. If you've ever wondered why certain colors such as Cadmium Red cost more than others like Burnt Umber, it's because the materials the pigments are derived from may be harder to obtain or more expensive in their raw form. I'll explore pigments further in a later post about artist and student grade paints.

 

In the studio at ArtsyU, we use acrylic paints to recreate our artwork, which are a bit different from oil paints featured in this first video. For acrylics, the process of manufacturing is very similar, but there are different ingredients, specifically the ingredients used as a binder, which is the substance used to make the pigments all stick together and to the canvas. Instead of using linseed oil like in oil paints, acrylics use an acrylic polymer emulsion as a binder. The polymer emulsion is water based, whereas the linseed oil is oil based.

The second video I listed demonstrates how paints can be made at home with just a few simple tools and ingredients. This is the perfect video for an adventurous DIY crafter who likes to experiment in a tactile way! After watching it, I know I really wanted to try this myself sometime. In this short clip, the speaker Alex Warren, who is also the founder of Sinopia Pigments, discusses the functions of pigments, water, and the role of a binder in acrylic paint. He then demonstrates their relationship to one another as he makes "homemade egg tempera paint" by hand. The binder in this video is actually an egg yolk. The great masters like Leonardo De Vinci and Michael Angelo might have used this technique when they created the paints for their masterpieces! Pretty cool thought!

More choices than ever before with Open Studio and Creative Corner!

This past weekend Johnny and I were sitting in our living room working from home on projects for ArtsyU when I was inspired on what to write for today’s blog plot. Johnny was updating the calendar, while I was writing up a couple step by step instructions (SBSI's) for our manual that we use during Open Studio and Creative Corner. I was skimming over the documents and was struck by a wondering thought, "Just how many of our paintings have instructions that accompany them?" "How many choices do people actually have when they are painting in Open Studio and Creative Corner?" An even more thought provoking, "I wonder if our painters know they have the resource of picture and text instructions available to them before signing up for these classes?" Well, my curiosity obviously wouldn't rest and I quickly began counting. "One hundred and thirteen!" I yelled across the living room at Johnny, moments after I had tallied up the final number. Johnny looked a little surprised, partly because I'd just yelled at him all of a sudden and partly because he was as equally contemplative of my realizations. "That would be an informative blog post," he had noted. So here we are to explore exactly those questions and to enlighten our painting audience about our SBSI's and the Open Studio and Creative Corner classes, specifically how they are different from a regular class.

If you've attended a regular class you may already be familiar with the setup of these classes and how they are taught. The majority of the classes on our calendar are regular evening classes. During a regular class everyone paints the same painting and are instructor paced throughout the night over a 2-3 hour period. These classes offer a "follow the leader" type of teaching, meaning as the instructor paints something on a canvas of their own, the class follows along, step by step until the end. This teaching approach appeals to a lot of visual learners who learn best by being shown a technique first, before attempting to do it on their own. If you like to watch how to videos and YouTube demonstrations then a regular class might be the most suitable class for you.



The three volumes of the Master Book of Paintings, which collectively
house over 100 Step by Step Instructions (SBSI's).

The teaching model of the Open Studio and Creative Corner are a bit different. Instead of everyone painting the same thing, each person gets to pick their own painting from our step by step book or choose a painting they liked from the calendar. Picking something can be difficult, since there are over 100 different paintings to choose from (with more being added weekly). Originally, the SBSI were developed for our instructors as a reference to show them how a painting was systematically layered and painted by the original artist. Since there are multiple artists at ArtsyU contributing to our overall painting selection, it is not uncommon for an instructor other than the original artist to teach it to a class. When we first started teaching Open Studio classes, we made these instructions available to our painters.  We believe our painters have found them to be rather helpful resources and that they greatly impacted their enjoyment and experience. So we have continued the process ever since and are thrilled to be able to offer more choices than ever before! A variety of art genres are represented in our SBSI book, from the abstract to the realistic. Because there are multiple paintings being taught during an open studio, these classes do not have an instructor up front demonstrating how to paint them step by step. Instead, painters are given a SBSI that has a set of sequential pictures and accompanying texts explaining how that painting is painted from start to finish. Instructors and assistants help the painters upon arrival in finding the correct paints and brushes and circulate the room throughout the night to offer expertise in painting techniques and tips. Instead of being instructor paced, these sessions proceed at the pace of the painter, so they can go as fast or as slow as they prefer.


An example of two different sets of SBSI's.

A Creative Corner is similar to an Open Studio, with the key differences being the size and start time. The Creative Corner begins an hour earlier than the regularly scheduled class on Friday evenings and occurs simultaneously while the regular class is being taught. The size of the Creative Corner is usually limited to 4 individuals and occurs out on the high top tables in the corner of the room (hence the name.) Each painter still picks their own painting from the step by step book and uses the pictures and text for the majority of their instructions. The only exception is that painters can't paint the painting being taught in the regular Friday night class. The instructor and assistants get the painters in the Creative Corner well under way in the painting process before the other class begins and throughout the night they are available to offer help and assistance when they are not providing instruction to the regular class. This painting model is perfect for smaller groups who like a more intimate setting, who prefer to be self-paced, or for smaller groups who can't decide on the same painting to paint. It also allows the painters in the Creative Corner to view the process of a regular class and how the two differ in their delivery of instruction and pace.

Painters in our Open Studio and Creative Corner classes are not limited strictly to the SBSI book either. Many of our older works do not have these instructions, but if their composition is simple enough they can be verbally explained or painters can be provided verbal instruction on how the painting is painted. Another choice for painters during these classes is to treat them like a freestyle session, where the painter paints an idea of their own creation during their studio time. Personal expression is always encouraged and inspiring to see!

So if you have been considering an Open Studio or Creative Corner class on the calendar and just weren't too sure about it, I hope the information in this post has helped you reach a decision. Of course, the best way of knowing, is to join us for a class and find out for yourself. With more customizable options and painting choices than ever before, there is certainly no time like the present! If you have questions about the Open Studio or Creative Corner or have a particular question about a SBSI feel free to drop me a comment below! 

How to prepare for your ArtsyU Paint Party!

One of the worst anxieties is feeling unprepared! If you've never attended a paint party at ArtsyU before, you might not know exactly what to expect or how to prepare for it. So we've created this post and noted a few practical tips that should be helpful in setting your mind at ease and making your painting session more organized and enjoyable!

Our most important tip is to arrive early! At ArtsyU, you have the advantage of arriving up to 30 minutes before the class actually starts. This is especially important if you haven't registered for the class ahead of time and will need to register or pay once you arrive. The teacher will check you off the roster and collect any vouchers, Groupons, or check your license if you are attending with a special birthday code at that time.



Roll around carts set up with food

Seating preferences, such as sitting up front or at the end of the table tend to be highly sought out positions and are available on a first come first serve basis. We recommend you take advantage of arriving early to ensure these seating preferences. Also, if you are part of a group of four or more people, it's important you arrive early to ensure your group can all be seated together. Unfortunately, we aren't able to determine a group's size from the roster alone or if you are meeting others who have signed up individually. If someone from your group arrives early, one of the teachers can give that person some aprons to place over and reserve the stools for their friends until they arrive. We want to stress the importance of arriving early for those attending in groups. We would never want you to be unhappy because your group is split, but we also don't want to play musical chairs in the studio at the last minute and/or make another painter unhappy by asking them to move.

You are welcome to bring your choice of snacks and beverages to your painting session. If you are bringing lots of food or beverages for yourself or your group, you can ask for a roll around cart to set your food up on. (There are only two carts available, so make sure you arrive early to claim one if it's needed.) We allow "Brown Bagging" of wine in all of our classes with the exception of Monday Family Nights. These classes are more family oriented and nonalcoholic, please keep this in mind when signing up on Mondays!



An artist updo with paintbrushes

Another equally important tip is to dress appropriately for your paint party! Acrylic paint is used at ArtsyU to recreate the paintings. This paint medium is non-toxic and water based, but we still encourage everyone to wear an apron to protect their clothes from any mishaps. Although the apron will protect you from the majority of painting spills, it is still possible to get paint on your clothes. Keep this in mind when dressing for the occasion and wear clothes you'll be comfortable in for a couple of hours. Roll your sleeves up before you start painting and pull your hair back if it's in your way. Dressing in layers can also be helpful. Remove any dangling bracelets or fine jewelry. If we use sponges to recreate a painting, it's possible to get paint on jewelry that is on the fingers or hands when ringing them out in water. In the event that paint does get on your clothes, go to the bathroom or washroom and wash it out immediately. If the paint dries before you get home it will probably be permanent! Also be warily of your neighbors painting beside you. You never know how enthusiastic they might become and their paint and brush may stray into your creative bubble... :)

 

An artist manicure

Some other tips and activities that can be done before class starts might be to: personally meet your teacher for the evening, locate the restroom, purchase a water, soda, or bag of chips from the honor bar, mingle with your friends, check in on Facebook, or post pictures of yourself/ group to our Facebook page or Instagram account at #Artsyu! (We love it when you share your experiences with us!)

Our last and most important tip is to come and have fun! Leave the work world behind and have yourself a stress free and relaxing time, whether that means it's some much needed alone time to unwind or a night out socializing and reenergizing yourself with friends! Now that you've read over a few of our tips, you'll also be informed on how to better prepare and can leave that worry at home too!

What is a paint party?

“So what is all the hype about?” “What is this new recreation called paint parties and do I really want to try this?” “I've seen lots of my friends on Facebook posting pictures and they seem to be having lots of fun...but I don't have a creative bone in my body and can't draw a stick figure!” “You're going to teach me how to do that?” Absolutely!!! As an artist at ArtsyU, I have heard every one of these statements and more and can't explain how awesome it is to see people awaken that right side of their brain and create something themselves that they didn't think they could do.

When we first started our studio in Chattanooga, an average 7/10 people we spoke with didn't even know what a painting party was or it's concept as a social recreation. Through word of mouth and the use of Facebook to share pictures, that ratio has gotten a lot better. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to all our supporters on Facebook and those who have helped get the word out there about this fun alterative to the movies. We wouldn't be here without you! There are still some misconceptions that we hear from time to time among curious individuals who have never tried a paint party before and the goal of this post will be to help clear some of those up.

I'll start with the biggest misconception, the one that keeps most people from actually trying something like this out and it is the idea that you must already be artistic, crafty, or have natural talent for painting and art. That is absolutely not true and not necessary!!! I call this the stick figure syndrome! People who believe, because they can't draw a stick figure, they are naturally untalented. Throw that idea out of your brain right now! Grab a piece of paper and draw these basic shapes: a circle, square, rectangle, and a triangle. Now identify something in your surroundings that's red, blue, and yellow, the basic colors! By participating in this mini exercise you have demonstrate that you know your basic shapes, colors, and can follow directions. You have all the essential skills to create a masterpiece in one of our classes! At ArtsyU, the teachers simplify everything and teach using a step by step process similar to the style Bob Ross used in his “Joy of Painting” programing! When paintings are complex, we usually provide a stencil. So don't sweat it and fall victim to Stick Figuritis.


Basic shapes and colors!

Moving onto our next misconception! This is social recreation, not your high school fine arts class! So relax, you're not getting a grade at the end of class! At ArtsyU, we pride ourselves on making fine art, fun art! This means, no stuffy classroom setting, no boring notes or dates, no long winded lectures of impressionism or realism and no overly critical teacher if you go off on an artistic whim and want your sky to be pink. It's just you and some friends out having a good time! So feel free to relax, enjoy the tunes on Pandora, the jokes from your teacher, and the exploration of your own unique artistic license.

This is a good place to talk about the cookie cutter misconception. You know the one I'm talking about, the one formulated in the left brain, saying that everything must be organized, uniform, and orderly. The one making you feel like your painting must look like the teachers and everyone else's in class. But... Does your painting have to look like the teachers? Not at all! No two paintings at ArtsyU are ever alike, even when you've painted it as a teacher numerous times. That's what makes it fun, because you know that it is 100% your own creation and interpretation. Some of the most interesting paintings are the ones that take the artist down a rabbit hole, leading them to a wonderland of vibrant colored flowers, purple rivers, and blue birds unlike anything in nature! Seriously, it's your painting and you can do anything you want to it!

Perhaps, this is a good place to mention that everyone is their worst critic and sometimes we are too critical of ourselves and our mistakes. When things don't turn out the way we envision them in our minds we think they are awful. Relax, this isn't art class! You are not being graded on performance! Or your level of cleanliness! At ArtsyU, you are free to doodle and paint on the tables to practice techniques and best of all, leave the mess and clean up to us! So “Just Keep calm” and take a sip of wine! Repeat after me, "Who cares! This is art; it's about exploring, and having fun!" So bring your favorite beverage and relax. Can it be alcoholic? Absolutely! Does it have to be? Not at all!

So I hope I have dispelled some of the misconceptions about paint parties and I have encouraged you as a new painter to pick up a paint brush and join us in the studio to experience for yourself what all the hype is about. If you have done a paint party before we would love to hear your testimony and about your creative journey! What do you love about paint parties? What would you tell someone who’s trying it out for the first time? What were some of your misconceptions?

Welcome to our new blog!

What better way to herald in the New Year than to unveil our new blog site! Actually, I've been wanting to work on a blog for ArtsyU for a while now and just never seem to find the time to fully develop my thoughts regarding what I should write about....but since I have been sick with the flu this holiday season I seem to have had oodles of time... In between the conscious moments between Nyquil doses and after exhausting everything of worth on Netflix worth watching, I found myself thinking quite a bit about this blog and why I haven’t just started writing it. Perhaps, that’s why I decided to make it one of my New Year’s resolutions, or New Year’s goals as my husband, Johnny, the infamous owner of ArtsyU, likes to refer to them as. I am, if you have not yet deduced, his other, more attractive half, Rachel... Not to be confused with the other Rachel, our Communications and Operational Manager at ArtsyU...yes company meetings can get confusing sometimes... but there will be plenty of time to explore that in a later post...



Johnny and Rachel Brown
Owners of ArtsyU

...So a blog specifically focused on Art and the events going on at ArtsyU has been a desire of mine for a while and since today is when most people make outrageous resolutions that they have every intention to keep through the end of the first week, it seems like a good time to bring this blog to fruition. For my readers, my goals will be to introduce you to our art studio here in Chattanooga and the amazing and eccentric people that work there to make it a truly unique place. The phenomenon of wine painting parties has become one of the newest and most revolutionary ways to approach art and make it socially fun! Since it is a fairly new enterprise and industry, getting the word out to the public about what an actual paint party or wine painting party consist of can be difficult. So I'm hoping this blog will help paint a picture in your mind if you are one of those curious folks wondering what all the hype is about and have that burning desire to get a little artsy!

In the upcoming posts, should busy schedules allow, I hope to keep readers apprised of events we have going on at ArtsyU with a weekly post that may spotlight a future class or activity, an outreach project, fundraisers in our community at large, promotional stuff, and let's not forget that broad subject called art itself!