After the total confinement last year, I met a new group of friends living in my neighbourhood. We organized an evening of art and wine in Barcelona. It was great to reconnect with like-minded women!
Painting and sipping have long been on my wish list of activities to do. In March 2020, I came close to completing it. I booked a vermut and painting event. But that was the day before Spain entered a sudden total lockdown. I still remember waiting outside for the door to open when I received an email informing me that the event was postponed due to the current sanitary situation.
The date of the new paint and wine was also the night before another lockdown. Partial this time. I found it a bit funny. The other attendees cancelled upon hearing the news. We did not, so our group had the full studio to ourselves.
So where did we go? We booked the evening with Art & Wine in Gracia. A first, I was a bit skeptical. The activity was interesting, but the theme proposed that day was Picasso-inspired. Not exactly my cup of tea. However, sometimes, it is nice to open oneself to new things. You never know.
A cool evening of art and wine in Barcelona
We sat in front of our easel, each wearing a protective apron. It was my first time painting with an easel. I immediately felt like an artist. The Art teacher offered us one glass of wine as part of the activity. Additional glasses of wine had to be purchased. I don’t drink much, but in this case, I wished for at least a second free glass of wine. We were here for 2.5 hours.
All the art supplies, the blank canvas, the acrylic paints, and the brushes, were also provided. The teacher began to explain how the evening would unfold. He will draw a model portrait on a blank canvas step by step. We could exactly imitate what he did or express ourselves freely. He came to everyone’s station to give directions as needed because everyone chose the second option.
It was nice to bond creating something while drinking wine. For my part, I liked having the framework and the tutoring but yet being able to do what I felt like. It felt liberating and fun to just put down on the blank canvas whatever came to my mind. I portrayed a lady, experimenting with the “Picasso” shapes of the face and the eyes and with different colours. Finally, that theme wasn’t all bad.
Bliss and artwork
The best part for me was getting lost in time with each brushstroke on the canvas. I was so focused on tracing the contours of the face and filling it with pink and blue colours that I forgot about the rest of the world. And that is a sign of having a wonderful time in my books!
I did not notice what the other girls were doing except for my side buddy. It was time to admire everyone’s artwork. Each one of us had a unique take on the same portrait, demonstrating our individuality and diversity of artistic views. As a result, it was like attending a mini-exhibition around the same theme.
At the end of the workshop, we had a photoshoot with our paintings. Then we went home with our artwork. I hung mine in my corridor where it is now waiting to increase in value and make me rich in the near future…A girl can always dream, can’t she?
Price of the evening: 32 euros
Art & Wine – Carrer de la Mare de Deu dels Desemparats, 14
Post edit: if you want to see the final painting, write to me, and I will send a pic ;). I have also seen on ads that now the wine is unlimited for this event. I did not come back to a new paint and sip evening, so I cannot confirm. However, I leave this note for information.
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