After making a splash in the US, painting parties have now become de rigueur for art-loving enthusiasts, who are flocking to trendy eateries and bars across the city
If you happened to walk into Chaayos in Lower Parel on the evening of July 23, you would have encountered a strange sight. Gone was all the paraphernalia from the tables, and, in its place, was a row of canvases mounted on easels. Canvases on which people were engrossed in recreating the hypnotic swirls as seen on Van Gogh's masterpiece, The Starry Night, with a brush in one hand, and a drink in the other.
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A Bombay Drawing Room painting party held at Chaayos, Lower Parel
Welcome to the world of painting parties. The concept that first took off in the United States of America several years ago, only trickled into Mumbai last year. Since then, it has only gotten bigger, with parties of this kind being held nearly every weekend.
Canvas meets party
It works like this: the party is held at a local eatery; the host picks a well-known painting, and the participants are asked to create their own versions of the artwork, all while enjoying a glass of wine and snacking on food.
Founder Snehal Patil
It isn't art class – although you have a professional artist guiding you, you don't have to stay inside the lines, so to speak. You're encouraged to explore your style, and, in the end, you get to take your canvas home.
Paintstorm was among the first few to catch on to the paint-and-dine idea. Bombay Drawing Room soon followed, and now a host of other individuals conduct such events across the city.
Making it work
Pia Debroy lived in the US before moving to Mumbai.
Le Pain Quotidien in Powai
"I found there wasn't much to do here, in terms of recreation, other than going out for gigs or to a bar. And I wasn't the only one thinking this. I realized people wanted more options. I used to attend paint-and-dine parties with my friends in the US, so I thought it would be great to introduce them in Mumbai," she says. Her venture, Paint the Town: Mumbai, was born in April 2016, and you can now catch their parties at The Little Door in Andheri (W) on one Sunday every month.
Meanwhile, Snehal Patil, founder of Bombay Drawing Room, among the bigger players on the painting party scene, says her project started out — literally — in her drawing room (hence the name). "I'm an architect by training, but I enjoy painting. In August last year, on a whim, I decided to throw a house party with a twist. There was booze, there was food, but there were also canvases to paint on. Initially, everyone was a little hesitant, but, soon enough, they all wanted to grab a brush," she says.
Pizza Express in Andheri (W) were venues for PaintParty.in
After pictures found their way onto social media, many were keen to know about the next event. Since then, Patil has held 42 such parties, which have been attended by over a thousand people. Oh, and the parties moved from her house to prominent eateries such as Chaayos, Café Zoe, and Social, among others.
Almost every paint-and-dine event works the same way. You register and pay for the event, and this cost includes the art materials provided to you, as well as food and a beverage. But isn't it tough to get eateries on board?
Particpants at two separate events by Paint the Town
Not really, says Pinky Panjawani, who, like Debroy, returned from the US and co-founded her own venture, PaintParty.in, back in November 2015. She says, "We hold our parties between those hours during which the eatery wouldn't see much of a crowd. We've held events at Le Pain Quotidien outlets in Powai and BKC, Pizza Express outlets in BKC and Andheri, as well as at Jamjar Diner in Versova, among other venues."
She adds that although eateries are initially skeptical about letting out their for something so outlandish, they quickly come on board when they realise what's in it for them. "We include a mocktail and an appetizer as part of the package, but people have to buy their own alcohol," she explains, all resulting in guaranteed sales for the restaurant or bar in question.
Mumbai at The Little Door in Andheri
Why go?
Debroy says she started out with the aim of making Paint the Town: Mumbai an interactive social experience. "You're still getting the bar experience while also bonding with people around you more than you probably would just hanging out at a bar."
Shanu Makhija, a Khar resident, finds attending painting parties therapeutic. "I wasn't great at painting in school, but I gave this a shot. It turned out to be great because I wasn't judged. Everybody must try it out at least once."
While others like Makhija attend painting parties by themselves and walk out having made friends, many other parties see couples coming in, eager to try something different on a date night.
Byculla resident Zeenia Wadia, who has been to two such parties with her boyfriend Abhaas Mehta, says, "I had never touched a canvas before, and I learned here that I could paint. The paintings Abhaas and I have made will be occupying the walls of his newly renovated house soon."
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