In April, we are welcoming a new tenant, Paint & Sip Studio PA, who will rent our event space a few days each week (Thurs, Fri, Sat evenings).
They will be offering classes to the community (10% off for existing MOW volunteers; 15% off for new MOW volunteers).
For more information, please visit their website, email, or call (717-202-0202).
Check out our interview with the CEO (and MOWL staff member), Brandon Pizzola!
How long has Paint & Sip Studio PA been in operation? What do you do at Paint & Sip?
Paint & Sip Studio PA has been in operation since January 2022. I started out doing Paint & Sip classes out of Lititz, always travelling to location. At PSSPA, I am an instructor and also operate and own the business. I also own Paint & Sip Studios in LA.
How do you bring community together at Paint & Sip?
Paint & Sip offers classes where everyone sits together. The way community comes together is a practice I always try to keep is asking people to introduce themselves to each other. Painting is a very intimate thing… it’s nice to feel a sense of community and forget judgement.
Another way Paint & Sip brings community together is through “outreach operations in LA, which I hope to continue as I grow here. We’ve donated classes to senior centers, homeless facilities… the coolest thing I’ve done is a class for a group where many people were blind. We traced a drawing on canvas in Elmer’s glue so that [the painters] could feel it and placed paints in a certain way so they knew where everything was. Involving people who may not be able to afford a [Paint & Sip] party or class, that’s always been a real interest of mine.
What inspired you to start Paint & Sip?
I was an instructor for a Paint & Sip company in LA, and ended up purchasing it. It taught me a lot about operating a business, and I wanted to start out here. I’ve always been an artist, and what I love about Paint & Sip is that [attendees] are all having a good time and socializing, but the way I see it, they’re getting to create in a way they probably don’t normally do.
I believe we all have a creative instinct in us; if you give a six year old a piece of paper and crayons they’re going to do something with it. We lose that as adults and start to doubt if we’re capable [of that]. People who paint with me or other instructors usually can’t believe they were able to accomplish what they accomplished. This is really inspirational to me. If people are getting down on themselves, one way I try to pick them up is saying that what is really profound to me is that whatever they created did not exist before they created it.
What work do you do at MOWL? Why did you choose MOWL as your new studio space?
I am the cold kitchen supervisor and I, along with the volunteers, help facilitate getting out 350-400 cold lunch meals per day. I keep everything running smoothly including packaging and timing and making sure volunteers are happy and fulfilled, which is the most important part of my job.
I chose this space because it’s the perfect space for painting classes. It has natural light, space for people to spread out and breathe, a kitchen and bar for people to put their drinks and snacks. I also chose it because Meals on Wheels has a need to fill this space and I saw this as a win-win situation that benefits both Meals on Wheels and what I do.
What’s your favorite thing to paint?
My favorite thing to paint is animals, like pets. We do paint your pet, where people send in a picture of their pet and it gets drawn on a canvas, and they fill in the blanks. There’s a certain technique for the fur, the nose, and eyes.
