Paint & Sip @ Wauwatosa's Arte

New Venue Opens December 28

Dec. 26, 2011

4:42 p.m.

PAINT & SIP @ ARTE IN WAUWATOSA<o:p /> Art, Beer and Wine. What could be more fun? Beginning on December 28 and 29, a new venue ARTE (with an accent over the e), brings the paint and sip industry to the Milwaukee area. Lisa Allen and her partner, Karen Salituro, decided to open the wine and painting studio in downtown Wauwatosa at 7511 Harwood Avenue so the midwest could appreciate this new experience. The two friends find the Wauwatosa welcoming and while trying to be community oriented, Allen and Salituro felt Wauwatosa offers a haven ofr small businesses and a close knit camaraderie while still being accessible as an urban area. The “paint and sip” industry began about five years ago in the New Orleans, and became more popular in the South. Two women wanted to share their passion for painting with friends, whether they were artistically inclined or not. They began inviting their friends to their homes to paint while sipping wine and talking, and discovered everyone had a great time while learning about art.  With approximately 100 paint and sip venues throughout America, the venues are now available in 18 states with very few in the Midwest. Paint and sip opportunities provide another entertainment option for those people who wish to creatively express themselves but might be afraid to do by themselves. Allen sat in her Wauwatosa travel agency/ art gallery Authentic Journeys to talk about her new venture with Salituro, an environmental and green architect whose office is adjacent to Arte.  What is so fun about the paint and sip option for an evening out?<o:p /> This is first an entertainment option. Most people have never painted before and this is designed to be a fun night out. Second, it is a creative expression that appeals to men, too, because you can go somewhere and drink a beer or wine and also paint. They can be afraid to admit they might like to try painting. We do introduce some art techniques and may also introduce people to art for the first time. It\'s an exciting option for an evening.<o:p /> Could you explain what a typical Arte evening involves? Everyone paints their own version of a specific painting that they pre-choose on line at the website. We will be recreating some of the masters, including Van Gogh\'s Starry Night. Then we hire local artists to lead the “party” or evening, to help people finish they\'re painting. They\'re all established artists and these artists will be creating future paintings. And we\'ll always be adding new paintings every month. What does an evening cost and provide”<o:p /> You can choose to paint for two hours at $35.00 or three hours at $45.00. This includes your brushes, canvas, supplies, smock, and paints so you can take your finished painting home at the end of the evening. You buy your beer and drinks when you\'re at Arte, and you\'re allowed to bring in light appetizers or snacks. We may offer these refreshment options later, after we\'re more established. What else would you like Milwaukee to know about Arte?<o:p /> We\'re concerned about the art value of our space. So part of it will be devoted to displaying local art work. Most people are really proud of what they accomplished in one evening, a complete painting. And you get to try this without having to buy your own canvas, paint and supplies on your own. We\'ll be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings or for private parties on any other afternoon or evening, usually 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., although we encourage people to come a half hour early to set up and stay a half hour after to clean up, finish their work, and socialize. We also hope to promote the idea to the corporate sector or any other organization for team building and intitiing creative expression and thought processes. But we really want people to enjoy completing a painting while having fun with their friends.  Arte opens December 28 and 29 in downtown Wauwatoa. Go online at <a href=\"http://www.artewineandpaint.com\">www.artewineandpaint.com</a> to view the paintings that will be offered and register for an evening of creative fun!

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