Have you been yearning to release that inner artist? Or are you scared to death at the thought of simply picking up a paintbrush? PopUp Painting is the answer to all of the above. Established in January 2013, the latest art mania introduces a practice, that many of us consider nothing short of a nightmare, into a social environment: “We want to make painting accessible to everyone, and highlight the fact that it is fun. Most of our guests haven’t painted since their school days and just want to try something different (normally with a drink in their hand).” Popping up across venues such as Le Pain Quoitidien, PopUp Painting invites us to overcome our fear of the canvas, whilst mingling with likeminded guests at some of London’s most social and beloved hangout spots.

Originating in the States, PopUp Painting hit a home run and within months dispersed internationally, from Canada to Australia, and over to the UK where Phylissia Shelton, the UK’s Founder and Director, was quick to take note of the creative craze. Shelton set the ball rolling and joined forces with a select number of artists and supporting staff to launch in the UK’s capital at the Soho Hotel last April. It spread like wild fire and the past year has seen the company expand and ‘pop up’ across Central London and its surrounding boroughs. From Kensington to Richmond, the trend has attracted both students and parents alike to rekindle their love for painting across some of London’s favourite pubs, cafes and bars.

Last week Twin Magazine was lucky enough to head down to East Dulwich’s The Plough for the Roy Lichtenstein class to see what all the fuss was about. Taking on the American pop artist’s classic Oh Jeff, guests were welcomed to The Plough, a.k.a ‘Dulwich’s Friendliest Pub’, where a section had been cornered off especially for the painting class. At the flick of a switch, 60’s music filled the room and merged with the joyous sounds of guests socialising amongst one another. Priced at £25 per ticket, guests were provided with a fresh white canvas, a palette of acrylics, brushes and an upbeat talented art tutor who guided them through the course of the night. With an example to follow and a white canvas to fill, guests were slowly navigated through sketching the basic outlines of the pop art ‘fantasy drama’ piece. Newcomers showed no hesitancy in applying the brush to the canvas and as a result Oh Jeffs sprung up in minutes, followed by a wave of determination and elation. With not a single restriction in sight, participants bid farewell to their painting woes and transformed blank canvases into mini masterpieces. As the night drew to a close, the painters reviewed and praised the clashing and charming interpretations that had resulted from the experimentation of colours and the choice of text in the speech balloon.

With a selection of fantastic nights to boot, from Banksy to Picasso, PopUp Painting is set to be the next best thing to sweep the nation.

popuppainting.com

Tags: Art, PopUp Painting