Back in high school, some of my classmates knew of one of my many, many plans for the future: one of which was to open an art café where people could enjoy good food while being immersed in a whole lot of art.
But life got in the way and this became one of the plans that took the back seat; eventually, it just found a place in the corner of the trunk of my hypothetical car and hid there.
Fast forward to today: I had heard of this quaint place called Sip & Gogh, which classifies itself as a "paint and sip studio", and this piqued my curiosity.
After seeing several posts by friends who had been there, I decided that it was time to pay this place a visit. And over the weekend, that was exactly what I did.
The only rules Sip & Gogh wants you to abide by.
Three rows of tables like these fill the room.
Sample paintings by the in-house artists (and possibly some of their students).
Some of these subjects will be taught/demonstrated in their different sessions.
I was pleasantly surprised to bump into a college friend, Jacq (in green), and meet her high school friends. I wasn't able to take a picture of the whole "class", but we were a little over 10 in that session.
Talk about throwback. The last time I had used one of these must've been in high school or my early college days.
We were painting koi fish that day, and the first things we were instructed to do was to make the swirls of water. Our medium was acrylic.
Each student is given a plate of cold cuts and cheese. (Hence my writing about this experience in a food blog.)
You can also order from their wine selection. But if you prefer to stay alcohol-free while painting, they have different kinds of juice as well.
Two hours later, I was done painting! Thanks for this photo (and for sticking around to watch me paint), Mom!
Congrats, Jacq! She said that this was her first time to join a painting class and she did great! Meanwhile, my paint wasn't completely dry after all (notice the grey streak?) so I had to redo the middle section before leaving.
My first painting in years. Not completely stoked with the outcome (the shading needs serious improvement) and I felt really rusty, but I'm just happy that I was able to get behind the canvas once again.
For foodies, Sip & Gogh's menu isn't extensive at all. In fact, that's really all they offer: a small plate of cold cuts and cheese. They also have a small selection of drinks, but that's about it.
For would-be art lovers, they invite pretty much anyone to try painting with them — especially first-timers! Don't be intimidated just because you've never held a paintbrush, or because you think you can't draw a straight line. They have teachers on hand to guide you every step of the way. Besides, the first time you finish a painting is always a thrill. And you get to take your magnum opus home and frame it!
After this experience, I somehow regret not pushing through with my high school master plan of opening up an art café. But I'm glad Sip & Gogh exists and that it gives people the chance to experience art in a fun, non-threatening way.
Make a reservation now c/o Sip & Gogh's website and for a fee of PhP 1,000, you're entitled to art supplies (a canvas plus the use of their different brushes and paints), hands-on instructions, an appetizer plate, and a free drink!
Happy eating, sipping, and painting!
1 Capitol Hills Drive,
1119 Quezon City
(+632) 9611248
(+63999) 8876190
(+63999) 8876190
