With squinted eyes, pursed lips, total concentration, and champagne in hand, I put paint to canvas at Pinot and Picasso.
I recently tried two painting classes at the High Street studio – the relaxed ‘Paint your Pet’ Sunday arvo session, and the groovy ‘Mamma Mia Nights’ Saturday sesh – each one vastly different.
Let’s talk ‘Paint your Pet’ first! One week prior to the class, I submitted a photo of my cauliflower-eared tabby cat Nori. When I walked into the art studio, I found her image lightly sketched on a canvas.
After I found my girl, I poured myself a glass of bubbles, donned my apron, got familiar with my paint brushes, and watched as everyone else located their fur babies (and one rooster).
Class started when everyone was ready, and a platinum-haired ball of enthusiasm and energy introduced herself as Kat, our instructor.
She guided the class through the painting process with patience I don’t think I’ll ever achieve.
She demonstrated each step on a canvas in front of the class before giving everyone time to follow the instructions.

We started with backgrounds, then moved on to our pet’s base colour before adding extra details and shading.
When you first begin, it’s hard to imagine the end result looking like your fur baby, but at the end of the class, I had a grey-haired, yellow-eyed tabby looking back at me.
She might not have looked as realistic as the white Maltese Shih Tzu to my right, or as lifelike as the blonde border collie across the room, but she was perfect to me.
After that, I decided one class wasn’t enough. The next weekend I dawdled back into the studio for a session that would make ABBA proud.
With the Swedish pop group playing in the background, I once again had Kat instructing me with the help of Sarah, the newest addition to the P&P crew.
As Kat showed the class how to sketch the cave houses of Santorini topped with blue domes backlit by a sunset, Sarah ventured around the class offering advice and topping up paint.

The dynamic duo took care of us as we collectively attempted to paint while bopping and singing along to the music – a hard task, but one that paid off.
As class came to a close, I once again stood in front of a piece of art I never thought I’d be capable of creating.
There’s a feeling of satisfaction you get after painting something at Pinot and Picasso – and that’s not just because of the wine.
It feels like a mindful activity as you focus solely on the task at hand, you surround yourself with like-minded people, and you finish the night with a sense of accomplishment.
Discover that for yourself at the art studio at 2C/458 High Street, Penrith.

Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network.