Make this Mother's Day a vibrant affair by hosting a painting party. Whether it's an intimate event with just you and Mom or a lively gathering of family and friends, this creative celebration is an excellent opportunity to take the leap out of your comfort zone and explore your artistic side. The best part is that you can customize the experience to suit your tastes and preferences. Consider inviting an instructor or a talented friend to teach some basic art skills, organizing a paint-by-numbers session, planning a pass-a-painting activity, or hosting a sip-and-paint-themed party. With so many options to choose from, you can create a memorable event that focuses on Mom.
Read on for tips, a delicious recipe, and our wine recommendations for hosting your very own Mother's Day art party.
Set Your Space
Once you have your guest list nailed down, figure out where you want the party to take place and what kind of tables and chairs you’ll need. If you want to go the extra mile, consider going to a craft store and buying small easels for everyone. To keep it simple, use a long table and place everyone side-by-side with the art supplies in the middle. If you are inviting children, consider giving them their own space (covered with newspaper!) so they can get a little messy.
Gather Your Supplies
There are a few basic supplies you’ll need. First, the paint. For novice artists, acrylic paint is your best choice as it’s non-toxic and easy to work with. Get red, yellow, blue, white, black and green. You can just use those or get creative by mixing colors together to create different shades. Give each guest their own mini paint palette. This way, everyone can have their favorite colors easily accessible and mix and match however they please. If you don’t want to purchase an extra item, paper plates do the same job.
You’ll also want to get a good assortment of brushes. Aim to get a mix of large and small rounded brushes, flat ones and a few small, pointed ones for adding detail. Since you’ll be using acrylics, use canvases instead of paper. It’s easier to paint on these and guests will have something fun to take home with them. As mentioned, consider getting stand-up easels to make painting easier. Last but not least make sure everyone has an apron! No one wants their favorite jeans covered in paint.
Decide What You Are Painting
It can be fun to choose one famous painting or a specific scene and have everyone try to replicate it. Think Vincent Van Gough’s Starry Night or a simple bowl of fruit. If you really want to focus on Mom, have everyone do their best portrait of her! Otherwise, you can give out a theme or print an outline for people to color in. There is also nothing wrong with having everyone just freehand it and paint whatever they are feeling like.
Don't Forget About Wine and Snacks
No painting party (or any party) is complete without snacks and beverages. In this case, we highly recommend our Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon if she loves a great cabernet or our Napa Valley Chardonnay. For food, choose items that don’t require much effort to eat and can be munched on while painting. Try the baked brie bites below for a snack that is festive, delicious and easy to hold in one hand while you paint with the other.
Baked Brie Bites with Rosemary
Ingredients
- 2 sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight in the fridge
- 8-ounces of high-quality brie cheese
- 1 cup of cranberry sauce or whole berry jam of choice
- 1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt
- ½ cup finely chopped raw pecans
- 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary cut into 6 pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°f
- Place brie in the freezer for at least 15 minutes to help it firm.
- Coat 2, 24-cup mini muffin pans with nonstick baking spray.
- Unroll 1 sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut the sheet lengthwise into 4 strips. Then, cut crosswise into 6 even strips. You should have 24 small squares total. Gently press each square into the mini muffin tins.
- Cut your piece of brie in half and place half back in the freezer. Dice the remaining brie into 24 pieces and place one piece each in the center of the puff pastry. Top each with 1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce , ½ teaspoon salt and just a few chopped pecans. Place in the fridge while you repeat the process with the second puff pastry sheet and second half of the brie.
- Place the pans in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown.
- Remove and let cool in the pans for around 3 minutes.
- Garnish each with a few sprigs of rosemary and serve!
