Business of the Week: Muse Paintbar, White Plains
It is interesting in this day of virtual reality that such a tactile activity as social painting has become a growing entertainment trend.
Muse Paintbar is set to open a studio at 84 Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains on May 10. That’s the location of the former Cheeburger Cheeburger.
Stan Finch, co-founder of Muse Paintbar has been in the business since 2012 when he and lead artist Vanessa Leigh discovered that people enjoyed painting in a social environment.
Finch’s first studio was in New Hampshire and he has recently opened several others in New England. White Plains and Brooklyn are locations for his current projects.
Set up on the ground floor, the studio will be visible from Mamaroneck Avenue, complete with easels, assorted paint colors (acrylic is the paint of choice), brushes, canvasses and stools.
A painting class schedule will be posted and guests will be able to order from a menu of wine and beer selections and assorted tapas when they attend a session.
Each session features one painting that each student will reproduce with supplied paints and a stretched canvas. The standard canvas size is 16” x 20” and can be hung as is or framed and then hung. The finished product is gallery wrapped for students to take home.
Customers do not have to be artists or have any art experience to be able to come and enjoy themselves, Finch said. “Many people say they can’t believe they painted what they did. The class teachers show customers how to paint what they see.”
Finch has hired three local artists to help with the classes, which will include a selection of painting types including landscapes, classic, popular favorites like Van Gogh’s Starry Night, and personal selections that customers can order in advance.
About 20 new paintings are presented each month and the local artists help to make selections that are appropriate for the area in which the studio is located.
In the autumn falling leaves might be featured or snowscapes during the winter.
“The goal is to have fun,” Finch said. “Customers are often very surprised at the finished product. It’s easy to do and they walk away with something good.”
But, this is not like paint by numbers, customers learn how to paint on a blank canvas.
Each session runs from two to two and a half hours and the cost is from $29 to $45 depending on the night of the week the class is scheduled and the type of class.
The studio will be open seven days a week. The schedule will be posted on the Muse Paintbar website at www.musepaintbar.com. Two sessions are scheduled each day at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Special parties for adults and children can be reserved.
The food and drink menu will include 12 different types of wine (white, red, Prosecco and Sangria) and 12 types of beer. The food is simple, cheese and crackers and other finger foods that are easy to munch on while painting. The food menu is also changed up according to the season.
Finch offers two fundraisers each month at his different studios with 5 percent of the profits going to local charities. “Medical research, local Arts programs and schools are our big focus,” Finch said.
To find out more, reserve a seat in a class, organize a party or to just check out the art visit www.musepaintbar.com or www.facebook.com/MuseWhitePlains.
