Bev Bunker is getting ready to teach a new art class at Art Beat Gallery. Brushes? Check. Paints? Check. Wine glass? Put a check next to that one, too.
The long-standing local artist is the first instructor of a new series of painting lessons called Picasso and Pinot Noir, which starts next week. Each month a guest artist will choose a themed picture to teach the class, while students sip on a glass of vino to simultaneously stimulate the creative impulse and loosen inhibitions about the prospect of painting.
No stranger to teaching, Bunker still seems to have a stress-free approach to imparting her wisdom and her expectations of her pupils.
“You never know exactly what you’re doing,” she says with a hearty laugh. “It doesn’t matter if they’ve ever painted before or not because there are ways and means, as they say, of helping people through some of these things. One of the things that I want to have in mind when we do this piece is that its shape, design, composition is rather easy and large masses or big plains of colour.”
“Inevitably, there’s going to be somebody who says they’re scared to touch the canvas.”
She added that she has some special techniques that she intends to go over to make the process a little smoother and easier for everybody. Regardless, she says that it should be a lot of fun. To encourage them along to what could be a new career path or even just a new pastime, she could even show off her pieces already on the walls since she is one of the artists represented by Art Beat.
The gallery’s new owner, Brigitte Strand, is looking forward to the event. She hopes that it not only makes art more accessible to the masses but that it also opens up a new audience that would otherwise have reservations about checking out all of the beautiful objets d’art in her store.
She wants people to think of the event as “no talent necessary.” It will also provide people a good excuse for a night out to sip on some good wine.
“Who wouldn’t want to do a little art lesson with a glass of wine?” she said.
She explained that she chose the name for this series of special classes because of some popular opinions about the cubist’s oeuvre.
“Most people’s impression of Picasso’s work would be ‘I can do that!’” she said.
Picasso and Pinot Noir takes place the third Thursday of the month, with the first one scheduled for Jan. 19. The two-hour class starts at 7 p.m. and costs $50. All materials and snacks will be provided, including acrylic paints and the canvas on which each student will brush up their masterpiece. Wine will also be available for sale at a cost of $3 per glass or $15 per bottle.
Members of the public can sign up by calling the gallery at 780-459-3679 or by sending an email to [email protected].
