ArtNights First ArtNight in Bonn attracts local and international budding artists

Bonn · Learn to paint in a fun and relaxed atmosphere: ArtNights are the new trend and the first one in Bonn took place this week catering to both German and non-German speakers.

13.08.2017 On Thursday evening, the table in the vaulted cellar of the Lindenhof bar and restaurant in Kessenich was covered in numerous brushes, bright paints and table easels rather than delicious food. The art utensils were a giveaway that this was not a normal evening in the Kessenich local: an ArtNight was planned.

The idea behind such events, which started in Berlin, is simple: participants meet in bars or restaurants to paint a pre-selected picture within two hours under the supervision of an artist. In the capital, the art evenings are already a huge hit. It does not matter how much art experience you have. It is more about having a nice evening than creating something artistically demanding, explains Tanja Meyer. The freelance illustrator is leading the ArtNights in Bonn and on Thursday the 28-year-old wanted to show a varied group of 16 participants how to paint a seashore on canvas.

There was already a relaxed atmosphere at the start of the evening and the ice was broken when one young man mistakenly drank out of the glass used to clean the brushes and laughter filled the room.

A short while later, Tanja Meyer gave the first instructions. Before they knew it, the budding artists had sketched the key parts of their pictures with pencil and dipped their brushes in the acrylic paints. Meyer gave her instructions in both German and English, as there were also some international participants. She registered questioning looks straight away and rushed to help. Some of her explanations seemed unconventional. At one point the illustrator called out: “Have you finished your flat breads?” She meant the elongated clouds floating over the seashore in the picture. Meyer gave a lot of praise during the evening. If she found a picture particularly successful, she showed it to the whole group. More than once, there was an appreciative “Wow” from the participants, who were clearly impressed by the evening.

Elfriede Scheurer said she was pleasantly surprised that the evening was so relaxed and casual. “I’d also expected an older audience,” said the 58-year-old. Julie Cornu, a young French woman, said she had had great fun, although she would not otherwise paint in her spare time. Her friend John, an American, confirmed with a wide grin: “I don't know what I’m doing here, but I’m having fun.” Lani Nguyen also seemed completely “blown away”. The 32-year-old from Cologne still had some paint in her hair when she said at the end of the evening that she had already booked her next ArtNight.

The concept also seems to be a complete success in Bonn. Two of the five ArtNights planned for August and September are already fully booked.

For information in English and tickets go to: https://www.artnight.com/en/product-category/bonn-en/

(Original text: Leonie von Wangenheim. Translated by Kate Carey)

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