What you need to know:
- If you ever get the opportunity to hold a paintbrush in one hand, a wine glass in the other, while your friends cheer you on as you attempt to turn a blank canvas into something remotely presentable, that is when you will discover what fun, magic and therapy feels like during any paint and sip experience.
Imagine laughing at your lopsided sunset, stained fingers in colours you cannot pronounce or raising a glass of sweet wine mid-brushstroke in an aura where everyone is a masterpiece in progress. The creativity on canvas and the sip of joy is exactly what it sounds like, painting as you sip, whether it is ice-cold water, a fancy cocktail, fresh juice or a glass of wine that makes you feel like an artist even before your first stroke.
Nevertheless, when I speak of painting, I mean painting what you understand and see what you want to come up with. It is fun and humbling, especially when you come up with a piece that everyone is laughing at. The idea of having a paint and sip experience was initially sparked by my cousin Harriet Nakato. We had thrown her a loud and lively birthday bash, just a weekend earlier at Matrix Lounge in Komamboga, complete with music, live band, dance and memories that still got us talking.
Getting on our marks
In return, she decided to invite us to what she called a simple lunch at her new hangout spot in Mpererwe. Spoiler alert, it was anything but simple. We were nine people from the same neighborhood. Overjoyed about the reunion, we each promised to make it for the luncheon, since she had scheduled it on a weekend. In the group we created, we kept the chat lively, by throwing back to the past days we used to play games such as hide and seek, football and dodge the ball. We also planned on wearing coordinated outfits; the boys shorts and black shirts, for the girls black dresses.
Setting off
With everyone making an effort to catch up on the scheduled 2pm lunch time. Hannah Mulungi came all the way from Mukono, Frank Kamulegeya from Bwaise, Ivan Kalagi dashed out of work in Ntinda and others from Kagoma, all to our designated pickup point, Maganjo stage. We then drove stopping by a mini supermarket to grab snacks, drinks, and of course some last-minute squad members. Being a Sunday, we opted for the main road in anticipation that the traffic gods would be kind to us.
Indeed they complied. We thus cruised down the Maganjo–Kawempe–Ttula road in record time. Like any other adventurous group, on our way, we started the day with content creation that included snapchat selfies, Tik Tok and Instagram-worthy videos with bluetooth music blaring amid the laughter that filled the car. Before long, we had arrived in Mpererwe. The driver took a left turn onto Gayaza Road driving ahead to the slope of Kizanyiro locally known as Taso Road opposite Queens Palace Arcade.
On the first left turn was a murram road that we followed. It is lined with kilns, homes and shops. In the shortest time we had arrived at our destination. Nakato was standing like a queen on the veranda of her beauty shop, waving dramatically like she had been waiting all day.
“I have been waiting for you since 10am, I thought you all would be here earlier, but you have come at 3pm,” she said while hugging and greeting each of us. We found two other friends just arriving and one who came later on.
The surprise
Across the road where Nakato welcomed us from was the paint and sip venue called Picnic Basement, a paradise disguised as a cozy residential compound. From the gate, a concrete path led us to a serene garden with trees and wrapped in fairy lights that keep the place well-lit in the evening and night. The fresh breeze was soothing. The playhouse (as we later called it) had a stunning outdoor setup. Think of white walls, lush green lawns, and a half-brick, half-metal fence offering just enough mystery from the outside world. At the entrance of the house is a camera placed strategically for security. When we entered the house, we were blown away. The first room was a mini feast with drinks and snacks perfectly arranged. However, the real jaw-dropper was the paint zone.
There were 10 canvases on a long floor wooden table, surrounded by white cloths for sitting, tiny glass paint jars, water cups, brushes, pencils, and flower decorations that made the whole thing look like an artsy bridal shower. Having each of us screaming in surprise, wondering about Nakato’s thoughtfulness, Mulungi said, “You have taken this onto the next level. When you said we would have lunch and after play games, you instead decided to surprise us with a whole Pinterest event of a paint and sip adventure! Wow, you are really amazing.” Nakato smiled like the humble genius she is. She had also covered the entire cost. At Picnic Basement, a paint and sip package without an instructor costs Shs40,000 per head and Shs55,000 with one. We were ready to be in our freestyle zone.
Painting and sipping
Once we captured the entire idea laid out for us, all ten of us gathered at the table and assumed our positions. My anticipation to begin painting was immense by now. Each board displayed a black ribbon which seemed as daunting as untying a present wrapped in blank canvas paper. Positioned beside every workspace stood a pristine palette, three brushes, a portable easel, an artist’s pencil, along with a few miniature jars brimming with paints. In my case, I faced just two hues: azure blue and golden yellow, yet found myself unsure how to proceed. Sharing colors among ourselves was highly recommended though. Without guidance provided within our group setup, everyone had to devise their individual concepts independently. Fortunately, assistance arrived from four companions well-versed in fine arts from secondary school levels, ready to navigate through what could be described as organized pandemonium. Drawing inspiration from online platforms such as Pinterest, some selected serene riverbank sunsets; Nakato and Mulungi favored florals instead, Kamulegeya depicted flying avian creatures against skyward vistas, Hillary Kanakulya celebrated natural landscapes via towering mountainscapes, whereas another participant may have chosen something else entirely. The initial phase entailed preliminary sketches—akin to revisiting academic sessions—which simplified subsequent steps since these rough drafts served both as guiding outlines and directional cues particularly beneficial for novices. Following those preparatory strokes, excitement ensued when tasked next to fetch drinks positioned strategically behind each station. Wine goblets awaited, containing refreshingly mixed beverages comprising Sprite carbonated drink blended harmoniously alongside Royalty Sapphire mocktail featuring notes of blueberries. Amidst laughter and chatter, participants lifted their cups ceremonially before snapping candid shots destined for digital sharing across various networks, promptly returning thereafter to resume artistic endeavors stationed individually.
The challenges and the allure of bringing something into existence
It turned out that painting isn’t simple. Even Kanakulya, despite his prior artistic experience, struggled with using the brushes. He mentioned, “Honestly, I’ve never worked with brushes for art; I didn’t realize how challenging they could be compared to an artist’s pencil. But I’ll keep pushing forward.” Meanwhile, I felt quite apprehensive from the beginning. Starting off, I placed several droplets of blue onto the palette and grabbed my brush to begin applying the deep blue hue near the base of the board. Slowly but surely, confidence grew within me, and soon enough, enjoyment took over.
I needed to produce four distinct shades of blue. For the second shade, after dipping my brush in a bit of water from the nearby cup, just adding a touch of this liquid to the densest blue pigment on the palette yielded another tone beautifully. This realization underscored that painting involves careful preparation, contemplation, and patience—especially when aiming to craft something both visually appealing and significant. Furthermore, it serves as therapeutic relief: every sweep of the brush against the canvas brought greater tranquility. As I progressed upward towards additional hues of blue, incrementally introducing more water helped achieve progressively lighter tones until finally blending some white into the mix created yet another variation reminiscent of clear skies above.
To grasp the technique, I shifted to the opposite side and noticed that Kalagi, being an adept painter, had depicted a sky filled with various shades of blue. Upon asking about his approach to achieving this hue, he mentioned blending blue with some white. This revelation enlightened me, so I prepared myself with a lighter shade of blue. Creating the sun proved straightforward; using my yellow paint, I diluted it slightly with water before rendering the semicircle atop the previously applied blue background. At first glance, everything looked festive as if celebrating Christmas, despite feeling somewhat weary. Even forgetting to drink momentarily didn’t deter me from completing the task at hand.
The urgency set in when I realized the dwindling daylight warned us against further delays—there were still group pictures left to capture along with meals and finishing touches needed on our artwork. As I only had two additional colors remaining but aimed to avoid leaving any areas unpainted, I hurriedly drew out the sun’s rays with vibrant oranges and added soft peach hues behind them. Just then, we managed to wrap things up right before capturing those collective photographs.
Wrapping up in style
After completing our small artistic creations, we hurried outside to take pictures during the golden hour. In between, we ranked our paintings from top to bottom, and the standout piece was Gorretti Nakabba’s creation—it looked more like something a primary school student might do. Although many of us found it amusing, she simply painted her daughter’s name along with a simple, cartoonish figure drawn freely. Everyone couldn’t stop laughing about it. Following the session, we enjoyed a delicious dinner together. Some people took advantage of this break to refine their artwork, while others engaged in karaoke sessions, danced competitively, played board games, and surprised everyone with a birthday cake. The highlight came when Nakato cut into the celebratory cake, spreading happiness throughout. To cap off the night, we went on an impromptu drive to Akamwesi Mall where we indulged in ice cream, popcorn, and watched a late-night film. Each person left holding onto their painting, which have since become decorative pieces adorning their homes.
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