uncorked

I always get these emails about events being planned by the alumni association, and I usually just ignore them. I still work at the institution that made me a Master, and although I am beyond appreciative of the benefit that affords me and my family members the incredible opportunity to earn degrees that would otherwise be financially unattainable, it's still work, thus somewhat less appealing than your alumni association's events might be.

A recent event caught my eye, though. It is something that's been on my radar lately, that I've been wanting to do. You've seen the photos in your timeline, I'm sure. Wine and Painting! Friends with flushed cheeks and big smiles holding up an array of similar yet diverse canvases depicting a common image. I've seen them on the coupon circuit and I've been intrigued. My lovely cousin Pam actually runs these classes back in the Boston area, and if I could be there I so would be.

When I saw the invitation to join my alumni association for a night of wine and painting, I felt compelled. I passed the flier around at work and ended up with 3 of my colleagues on Wednesday night, gathered in the beautiful Alumni center to make our best attempt at replicating the instructor's original rendering of a very familiar sight:
 

The Immaculata

It seemed entirely do-able. Look at those straight lines, forgiving curves, impressionist landscape. It was perfect!

We arrived at the crack of 6pm and chose our stations, then got busy mentally and artistically preparing  inhaling the wine and the snacks.

It's like a blank canvas!

I should have taken photos at every step, but you guys I was so nervous! That blank canvas was terrifying to me. I don't think I've ever actually put paint to cloth, and I was very afraid of messing up and creating hideousness. We started by using those primary colors to create sky blue, then when we liked our hue we were directed to make a horizontal blue line right across that pristine sea of white. Gack!

I did it. Then we made green and a lower horizon, and learned how to create texture in the grass and whatnot. By thetime I thought to document my progress, we had the beginnings of a building and a tower!

pay no attention to the trippy swirls in the sky, for they are not real

have you ever seen such a graphic display of burgeoning confidence?

Then came the fun part,the TREE!  I love my tree. But the arches were terrifying, even when we turned our canvases sideways to make the developing curves more natural.

  I was having fun, though! That tree had me all fired up.

I'm not sure this was going well at all. I used up all of my paints and had to ask for a fresh palette.

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My alumni center leans toward the spectacular side of architecture. Where's waldo?

The event was scheduled to end at 8pm, but we spent so much time on the grass and sky so that the details were somewhat rushed as darkness fell. It was so much fun, though! My kids were quite impressed with my kindergarten level artistic abilities, and I think a family guided painting experience is in our near future.