STAFF REVIEW: ART SIPPERS VIRTUAL

Dec 31, 2021
Art , Staff Reviews

Connor Howling

I wouldn’t consider myself an artist, I’d consider myself the complete opposite, which is why I was more than ready to give this virtual painting experience a go and get to grips with the creative world of art!

This was my first time trying out an experience from home, so I had prepared myself to expect some hiccups along the way! My package that included everything I’d need for the virtual experience arrived with plenty of time to spare before the live event, and boasted a colourful exterior that got me intrigued to peek at the contents. I really wasn’t sure what to expect at this point as it was something I’d never done.

Included in the box was my ticket to the live event, an array of painting tools as well as the paint itself, a small bottle of gin, a chocolate bar, and a can of flavoured tonic! I thought that the inclusion of the alcoholic beverage was a nice touch to emphasise the “paint and sip” element throughout the entire process of booking the experience. After I had searched through my box, I felt ready for the live event, still quite unsure of what to expect!

As the evening of the virtual experience approached, I set up my laptop to join the Zoom call that the experience was being held on. Once live, there was a collection of people already on the call, chatting and getting to know each other. It made me realise how a group of people can still feel like they’re in the same room, even over a video call. It’s crazy to think of the capabilities that can link two people from two different sides of the world together, in one place!

Once it had reached time for the experience to begin, we were introduced to our hosts for the night: Elliot and Josie. They were both extremely outgoing and welcoming to attendees of all levels. This was very reassuring for me because I knew deep down that I could barely hold the paintbrush the right way, let alone create a masterpiece! Everybody seemed to really appreciate this and from what I could tell, and everybody was ready to get stuck in.

The overall idea of the experience was to follow along the theme that Josie was painting, which on this occasion was space, and try to replicate her painting through the methods and techniques we were being taught. With the concentration very visible on everybody’s faces, Elliot would also be providing us with art-related facts, plenty of hilarious jokes and encouraging us to queue some of our favourite space-themed songs!

There was also a competition, and all we had to do was try our best at answering some trivia questions, and to create our own idea of what a masterpiece really is! This was at the back of everybody’s minds, but I’d already convinced myself that it wouldn’t be me who would win. I mean, who ever really thinks they’re going to win a competition in the first place?

Step by step, my painting was shaping up to be somewhat better than what I was expecting. This gave me a confidence boost to try out mixing my colours, and really trying to push myself with the more complex techniques Josie had introduced to us!

Before we knew it, the time had come to an end, and we had all created our own galaxies that varied completely but all looked amazing. To my surprise, I was also made aware that I had won the competition, so who’s to say you can’t too? Positive thinking and we can achieve anything!

The ART SIPPERS Virtual is an experience perfect for those with a creative mind or somebody like me, who is looking to improve on a skill they don’t really have in the first place!