Trying Something New – Making of an Artist?

By Robert Haugh

For a wordsmith like me, staring at a blank canvas is usually staring at a lined notepad or a Word document while drafting up notes and ideas.

Staring at a blank, white canvas with no notepad, no word processor and just paint, brushes and wine, seemed like being 150-pound-soaking-wet Spike Dudley standing across the ring from Andre the Giant. It’s pretty frightening.

Staring at that canvas, I know I can barely draw stick figures and stay in the lines of cartoon drawings. So, a little wine helped ease the tension of doing something bold and entirely different – creating a “Spring Tulip” painting.

Thankfully, for the pre-novice painter and color grappler like myself, VinoPaint is guided step-by step by amazing Silicon Valley artist Sonya Paz, who helps ease the first-timer blues.

As Paz said in a Mercury News article, “wielding a paintbrush for the first time is like making your singing debut in front of an audience, in that both are more easily done with friends and libations … It’s almost like karaoke, where the worst person singing gets the most cheers …  You’ll get good peer encouragement from other attendees,” she stated. Indeed, you are surrounded with others who pick you up and encourage you, and even compliment your art. It’s not just about creating something identical to Paz’ amazing pop art work, as every painting is unique.

“It’s really fast paced, but you go with the flow … There are no rules; take the paintbrush and let it direct your creativity. “If you gravitate toward it and connect with it, it’s good for the soul,” added Paz in that article.

Indeed, even the not-so-skilled painter like me found a connection with the blank canvas, and slowly, but surely, over three hours, with a little help from some good vino (Tessora’s Barro di Vino has some amazing wine options), creating a painting turned out a lot less intimidating – and a lot more refreshing.

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That Giant across the ring shrunk in size and became an easy foe to tackle thanks to support and guidance from Paz and other attendees.

Honestly, once things got started, creating a colorful, whimsical piece of art was surprisingly relaxing, refreshing and interesting. You’ll never think of squishing and cleaning bugs off your windshield quite the same, though.

Challenge your creative side and sign up for a VinoPaint event. Like me, you’ll likely find it soothing, relaxing, and fun. And you’ll create art. Oh, Mom really enjoyed the painting as an early Mother’s Day gift.