Things to do in Indy

Wine and Canvas
Do you ever wish you could paint a piece of artwork that you would be proud to hang on your wall at home? (Without going to art school and/or being born with a natural gift, that is.) That's kind of the idea of a new activity available in Indianapolis called "Wine and Canvas." It's been in the Indy area for about a year, and I first heard of it through the magic of Groupon.

The concept is pretty clever: Come spend three hours with your friends, create a new piece of art for your wall, and drink while you do it. You head home at the end of the night with a finished painting.

I gave this a try for the first time last week with some girls I work with. I'm a big fan of the paint-your-own-pottery shop in Broad Ripple, so this was right up my alley. Each person is handed a blank canvas when they check in, then you're directed to choose an easel and pre-set palette of paint. A local artist takes the stage (your leader for the evening), and through the course of the next three hours, that artist walks you step-by-step through a painting while you follow along.

It's a bit like paint-by-number for adults, except the lines aren't already drawn on the canvas. (Below is my painting in progress.)

My review of the experience? Lukewarm overall.

For starters, I felt a little misled when I learned that my pre-paid $35 did not, in fact, include my glass of wine. A "bartender" was on hand throughout the evening, serving beer and wine for $3-4 a glass. Combine the name, Wine & Canvas, with a pre-paid class fee, and all of us in my group expected one glass of wine to be included.

Secondly, I think I would have enjoyed it more had I chosen one of their sessions that were not held in the actual company's studio (at Keystone on 86th Street). They host these events at various places around town, mainly restaurants and bars, and there are enough spaces for about 15 people. At the studio, there were more than 60 of us crammed into this space. And I do mean crammed. I think a more intimate setting would have given the atmosphere and entirely different feeling.

At the end of the night, I did come away with a completed painting (see below) that I would not have known how to do on my own. I got to hang out with friends from work, which doesn't happen terribly often, and we had fun together.

I'd be up for doing this again, but it wouldn't be my first choice, it would have to be a painting I was really interested in, and I wouldn't go to the studio.

I think the concept is great, though, and I love finding new things to do with my friends in Indy. Give it a try if it sounds like something you'd enjoy!