CREDIT: JESSE ROBERTSON (TOP PHOTO), REBECCA VAN HORIK AND TERRY GROLMAN
More people are headed to the bar to pick up a paintbrush along with a pint. Paint Nite has several events where people can unleash their creative side with their friends and family.

Pictures of people painting are popping up on social media. Friends, family and couples are going to the bar to pick up a paintbrush and try out paint night.

Paint night events are becoming more popular; artists provide guests the opportunity to recreate a painting. Some people even sip some drinks and eat some snacks while participating in these events.

The company Paint Nite was founded in 2012, and has since expanded to more than 1,500 cities around the world, with London, Ont. being one of them. Other companies, such as Keep It Colourful, are also running paint nights in the Forest City.

Two local artists who host paint nights have enjoyed painting from a young age. Artist and founder of Keep It Colourful, Jesse Robertson wanted to be involved in the arts and also loved to dance, play guitar and sing.

When she was 12, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Robertson explained that the arthritis affected her motor skills, and tasks such as walking and holding a pencil became difficult. She has her bachelor of fine arts from Western University, but said her arthritis would get in the way.

“I felt really sad because every time my little 12-year-old Jesse wanted to try something, bam. An arthritic flare would take me out.”

Robertson said there was an artist who lived in the attic of her family home growing up who would provide her with larger canvases and paintbrushes. She said that she would make paintings inspired by what she read in books.

“It made me feel like I was doing something important,” she said.

Robertson said that after working at different art galleries offering paint nights, she began Keep It Colourful and incorporated her philosophy of “keeping it fun, as well as really high quality instruction”.

Jordan Edwards, an artist with Paint Nite and an alumna of the Fanshawe's fine arts program, also loved painting as a child and started with Fischer Price easels.

She got involved in Paint Nite after she attended an event with her friends, and enjoyed the experience. Edwards said she contacted the artist who hosted the event to get more information. However, Paint Nite asked her to be a part of the team after she posted a picture of her and her friends attending Paint Nite on Instagram.

Although she's passionate about painting, Edwards said it wasn't until a few years ago where she considered it as a profession.

“When I was a teenager, I kind of stepped away and felt I couldn't make this a career, and life took a hold,” Edwards added. “When I was 23, I was just like, ‘I'm going back to school and start making this a thing.'”

She added that she noticed a rising interest in paint nights.

“We're adding new venues constantly. There are new guests that are constantly arriving to each event I see,” Edwards said, adding that the majority of people say it's their first time at paint night when she asks.

Painting and its connection to destressing

Paint nights aren't the only creative outlet many young adults are turning towards. Colouring also became popular in the past few years.

“Anybody can just walk into Indigo or any store and see the explosion of different kinds of colouring books and things like that,” said Suzanne Book, the manager of Counselling and Accessibility Services at Fanshawe. “There's lots of research to show that engaging in different activities does help reduce stress.”

When you walk into the lobby of Counselling and Accessibility office, you will see many colouring books on the tables. Sexual violence prevention advisor Leah Marshall and 3D animation and character creation student Tristan McDonald also created a colouring book for survivors of sexual violence. Book explained that it is part of the Ontario government's mandate to provide more mental health and accessibility services for post-secondary students.

Fanshawe's Counselling and Accessibility Services offers many creative activities, such as drumming and knitting, as part of the Passport to Wellness program. The Passport to Wellness program series is a bunch of workshops and activities that help students fulfill their individual wellness goals.

Book said the series and other initiatives reflect that the college has acknowledged “the huge increase of students with anxiety issues” and provides them with coping strategies.

“It's hard work to bring those out when you feel like you've got multiple deadlines and financial pressures,” she said. “We're just trying to engage students in things that are positive and tap into that creative part of themselves that can be fun and relaxing and helps some of those endorphins get activated.”

While Robertson said painting gave her “a mental break”, she had a different perspective.

“Painting is not relaxing. I mean it is in some ways, but it's also very hard and it's almost like meditation because you're focusing so intently that you have no room to think about anything else. For me, that I couldn't think about the pain of the arthritis and at the end of it I had a creation.”

She added that people with mental health issues, such as anxiety and arthritis have come in to try out her paint nights.

“All kinds of people have come out of the woods and use the painting to sort of engage in social groups, but without the need for small talk, which can be hard and forced and really weird.”

Does Fanshawe have any paint night plans?

About 12 people went to Paint Nite at the Out Back Shack, hosted by Edwards, in November 2016. Edwards said the event went well, and that she'd love to go back and host another one if asked.

Robertson is also interested in working with Fanshawe to host her Keep It Colourful paint nights.

However, Kevin Masterson, events and activities manager of the Fanshawe Student Union (FSU), said that a paint night event would only return if there was a high demand from the students.

Masterson said his wife tried out a paint night and enjoyed it, but he has not tried out one himself. He said he thinks anyone who is looking for a fun night out, but isn't into the clubbing scene would enjoy it.

“It's just something fun to do at a bar and hang out with your friends and you feel like you have accomplished something,” he said.

Why else do people enjoy paint nights?

Robertson said that during one of her events, a woman praised her. “She said, ‘Oh my goodness. I could go to a movie for the same cost, but at the end of this I made this.'”

Edwards said her favourite part about hosting paint nights is seeing the final pieces. “You live in such a cookie cutter nation,” she said, adding that everyone at Paint Nite sees “that everybody's painting is completely different from everybody else's”.

Suzie Fox, who participated in the “Oh Christmas Tree” paint night with Keep It Colourful, also enjoys seeing everyone's results. “It's amazing to see how each person interprets the instructions and adds their own flare to their projects.”

Sandra Detering, another participant, said paint nights are a great way to get together with a group of people, or a fun date night. “I've seen people do it where they're part of a bridal party,” she said. “Give it a try and if you get a group together, it's so much fun.”

Edwards added that the nights are full of positivity. “We just want to encourage people do to something different and just have a good time.”

Keep It Colourful runs every Sunday evening at Joe Kool's and every Wednesday evening at Poachers Arms, along with several events throughout the week. Visit jesserobertson. com for more information.

There are several events hosted by Paint Nite in London, including classes run by Edwards. Visit paintnite. com to look up dates.