Paint ‘N Pour
By Champayne Brown
Paint N’ Pour NYC is a sip and paint unlike any other. Located on 2080 Frederick Douglass Blvd in Harlem, the venue opened in 2017 and since then has been featured on networks such as VH1, TBS, ABC, MTV, and Oxygen.
What sets this sip and paint apart is its different painting studios and its open bar. The studios include themes such as Beyonce as Mona Lisa, Biggie Smalls portrait using his lyrics, and a calm, earthy Patio room. Visitors choose one studio to attend a class, but are given the opportunity at the end to take pictures in the other themed rooms.
Paintings and canvases are plastered on the walls, adding to the venue’s artistic vibe. “What stood out to me upon arrival were the colorful paintings of musicians that were on the wall near the entrance,” said Elijah Minter, 24.
Musicians on the wall include Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, Amy WineHouse, and Cardi B. The class is offered at different time slots daily and comes with its own food menu and unlimited drinks. The drinks are creatively named after famous artists like Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso.
The cost to attend a class is $50. Brooklyn native Kenya Reeves, 22, said it was the most he had ever spent on a sip and pour but it was worth it. “The environment was different also because it was more of a party scene and everyone is turning up and having a good time,” he said. “Typically, when I have done sip and paint it’s been really calm and a chill environment.”
In comparison to other sip and paints, that focus solely on painting, Paint N Pour’s atmosphere is for a party crowd, with music playing in the background, unlimited drinks, and food. However, it can be a deal breaker for others because it can be hard to concentrate.
“I was not able to hear the instructor because her microphone was not clear, also everyone around me was talking, so I wasn’t able to actually hear everything she was saying,” said Dwight Jackson, 22. “Instead, she was adding on to the background noise.”
Paint N Pour appeals to a younger crowd because of its New York City vibe and splash of Hip and R&B influence. Visitor can re-create scenes such as the New York City skyline, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Rapper Biggie Smalls and Tupac. Keeping up with Hip Hop culture is a way to keep certain audiences coming back and wanting to come back and Paint N Pour does just that.
