“It’s a different thing to do,” said Pam Imel, General Manager of Pinot’s Palette. “I think people get tired of just going to the bars. There’s always the movies, but you can’t be social. This is a very relaxed atmosphere, more like a party than a class. What’s more, people discover that they can do it. I would say 90 percent of people who come here end up hanging their pictures in their homes.”
Indeed, at Paintings and Brews, just as at Pinot’s regular weekly classes, not an ounce of natural artistic talent is required.
“You’ll start with a completely blank canvas,” Imel said. “The instructor will go through it with you step by step. They’ll start with the background, show you what paintbrushes and colors to use, how to make the strokes. There’s no technical terms. It’s easy to understand and fun.”
This general open-mindedness extends to the instructors.
“It happens that all of our staff right now have degrees from art schools,” Imel said. “But it’s not a requirement. We’ve had people in the past who didn’t have degrees. You can be just as good if you’re self-taught. I’d hate to miss out on someone just because they didn’t have a degree.”
Imel said their primary customers are women between the ages of 25-54.
“The number of men is smaller,” she said. “We have date nights, where one will do one canvas, the other will do a second canvas, and then they’ll combine them into one painting. The men always have fun. The problem is usually just getting them to the door.”
Pinot’s Palette started as one store in Houston in 2009. Success led to franchising, and now there are 190 studios in the U.S. and Canada, with four locations in the Cincinnati-Dayton area alone.
FigLeaf Brewing has a craft beer roster that includes ales, porters, bitters, and IPAs. Pinot’s Palette is designed to be mobile, traveling to various venues and businesses for special events.
“It’s just local businesses getting together to help each other out,” Imel said. “We might bring guests who’ve never been to their brewery, and people visiting the brewery might see us and become interested. This is our first time going to FigLeaf but we plan on making it a monthly event. We have games during classes, trivia, prizes, music. It gets everyone in a happy mood.”
How to go
What: Painting and Brews
When: Dec. 22, 6:30-9 p.m.
Where: FigLeaf Brewing Company, 3387 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, Middletown
Cost: $40
More Info: 513-777-9200 or www.pinotspalette.com
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