Last night was one for the books. It’s been a minute since I hosted a paint and sip, and honestly, I had a mix of excitement and nervous energy leading up to this one. You know that moment when you find out the event sold out and your first thought is: “YES!”… followed immediately by “Oh crap, now I actually have to be entertaining and help everyone paint something beautiful in two hours”? Yeah, that was me.
But as soon as I stepped into The Exchange in Oil City, all that melted away. This place is GORGEOUS – seriously, if you haven’t been, go. You’ll get to enjoy amazing food, drinks, and a world class mural (by yours truly).
The night kicked off with their incredible food and drinks (because painting is always better with a mezze platter and a craft cocktail in hand).
Setting the Scene
We filled the room with easels, paint palettes, and brushes, transforming it into a pop-up art studio. The vibe? Relaxed, creative, and buzzing with good energy. The Exchange staff were absolute rockstars, making sure everyone had their drinks, snacks, and good vibes.
The Creative Chaos
Once we got started, it was game on. There’s something magical about a paint and sip — you show people the same steps, the same colors, and then sit back as every single canvas becomes completely unique.
Somewhere between me waving my brush in the air like a paint wizard, running around the room helping people with desert roses and camel silhouettes, and laughing at my own bad jokes, the whole thing just flowed.
(Yes, I was totally giving “art teacher who means business” vibes.)
Klee was there being her usual amazing self — calm, collected, and making sure I didn’t forget anything important (like reminding people to breathe and sip their drinks once in a while). And we even had Skylar join us as our assistant for the evening, which made it all the more special.
The Best Part: The Artists!
I was blown away by everyone’s creativity. It never gets old seeing a room full of people take your idea and turn it into something that’s completely theirs. Some went bold with color, some added little details that made me think, “Dang, why didn’t I do that on my sample?”
The Grand Finale
At the end of the night, we all lined up, paintings in hand, and it felt like the perfect little art show. This group seriously nailed it — and looked like they had a blast doing it.
Final Thoughts
The Exchange was the perfect host — I can’t say enough good things about their staff, the space, and the vibe they’ve created there. The food, the drinks, the environment — all of it made for one amazing night of creativity and laughter.
Klee, as always, was an amazing partner-in-art (and life), Skylar was a fantastic helper, and every single person who came out made this night unforgettable.
A full room of humans making art, sharing stories, sipping drinks, and laughing? That’s basically my favorite thing in the world. Can’t wait to do it again.
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