Credit: Kevin Le Merle
Advertising and Events Manager
A vibed night out with art and wine
Vine & Canvas combines painting and wine-tasting for a relaxed and fun evening. Whether you’re creative or not, this event is for you: the art tutor, Heather, draws out the outline of your canvas to make things easier, and the evening is accessible to all levels of artistic skill. Throughout the night, you are guided step-by-step in order to bring home a work of art you can be proud of. Considering oils would not dry fast enough, acrylic paints are the medium of choice. Heather’s approach to leading the event is both enterprising and down to earth.
As the first Paint & Sip Studio in Scotland, Vine & Canvas imports a US idea in a pioneering way. Whether you’re on your own, on a date, with your family or friends, the painting session is a great way to develop a deeper heart connection with the people around you. A good mix of age groups and a couple of regular veterinary students makes the event friendly and comfortable to all. Heather makes sure that students are welcome by offering them a £5 discount. She has a background in art restoration, and years of experience as an independent art contractor; her careful skill and openness to different forms comes across in the way she teaches.
At the Sunday session I attended, the lesson focused on reproducing Thomas Kinkade’s Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. While Heather usually picks works by living artists as a way to support them, this was a way to commemorate a recently deceased peer’s clear artistic flair. The point of the lesson was not to create an identical version of an already famous painting, but to let students explore different painting techniques in a structured way.
At the end of the lesson, each canvas turned out very different, with each person’s personality shining through their style. Heather insists that every child is born an artist and enjoys encouraging newcomers to pursue creativity; it’s not about being perfect, but about having fun and enjoying the process.
Heather offers complimentary refreshments to spur that process along. Whether you enjoy white, red, or sparkling wine, or would rather stick to tea or coffee, Heather’s generous pours will keep a smile on your face throughout the evening. The wine itself was commendable, and the wine list featured Portuguese, French, Chilean, and Italian wines, picked with care. The Vine & Canvas studio also offers private functions, and life-drawing sessions. All the events are to human scale, so that the teacher can speak and help everyone present with their work and still drink along with everyone.
