Artistic Abandon

I did a class here a few months ago and really had a ball! Emily was a great instructor and interacted with the class beautifully. I have a credit I need to use to get back in there! It’s a great girls’ night out or a date night! Bring some wine and have a blast!

So much fun! My friend and I went for Sangria Sunday, and it was great. I liked the 3 hour class — gave us a little more time to get things right. I didn’t feel rushed at all, and I really enjoyed myself. The class was small (maybe 10 people), but it felt like just the right amount. Rosemary was great; she kept everyone on the same pace, and she kept the mood light. It’s easy for me to get frustrated with painting, and I didn’t feel that at all. They have a good selection of paintings, and it’s nice that you can buy a frame there too.

This place is awesome. Unlike Wine & Design… be ready because the picture that you will paint will not be traced out for you! Lol! Emily was great and the Assistance were wonderful. Loved the interaction and enjoyed the entire 2 hours. I will definitely be back again. Very nice atmosphere

I love this place. All of the artists are helpful and talented. The options for painting continues to grow. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

Went to Artistic Abandon last night for a wine and paint party for a charity event. I have been to a couple of the competitor places to this before so I was familiar with the logistics. You sign up for a certain night where there is a features painting. Everyone paints the same thing, along with the guidance from the lead artist. You can choose your own paint colors and have your own flair, but in the end, you all basically have the same themed painting.
Artistic Abandon seems to have TONS of options for painting and several of the ones hanging made me want to sign up on other nights to paint them too, for example, the Raleigh Skyline!
The best part of it all… WINE! You have to bring it in yourself (finicky ALE laws) but it is lots of fun to gather with friends, drink wine, gab, and be creative at the same time!

This place has stolen my heart. No seriously, it has.
I came here for a free Unilocal event over a year (go Unilocal) and had an awesome time. The staff was friendly and provided all of the materials needed for the class. And do not feel bad if you can only draw stick people, they give step by step instructions so you can walk out with a master piece. They also provide the wine, but you can also bring your own bottle.
So they do have a monthly calendar that you can access on their website or get one from the actual place. It seems like the classes get full fast so book as soon as possible. The prices seem to be based off of how intricate the painting is but the prices are very reasonable.
I suggest this place if you are looking to have an awesome time and walk out with your own Picasso!!! Have fun!!!

I’ve been here a couple of times and really enjoyed it. I went once with a group of friends, and once as part of a couple’s night. The owner is very friendly and creates a good vibe for the event. The Groupon’s and other similar offers make this a very good deal, though even at regular price, it’s competitive with the other similar setups in the area.
Overall, the painting selection isn’t too bad. Keeping in mind that most people going to this aren’t going to be Picasso — they just want to drink and have some fun with paint so you really can’t expect too much. That being said, she works at picking designs that are fun and interesting. Some I would hang up on my wall, others… not so much. But to each their own.
You bring your own wine, they provide water, a fridge, cups, bottle openers. We also brought some snacks and goodies to go with the wine. If the class is full, it can be hard to find space for any extras, but we never had a problem.
At times you can feel a bit rushed, but you do keep within the 2 hour time setup so maybe it’s just my own painting abilities (or lack thereof) that made me feel that way. I would definitely do it again with a group of friends, and a bottle (or two) of wine.

Reposting my original review because it seems to have been removed.
I’ve experienced what Artistic Abandon has to offer twice now — both times using a Living Social voucher and both times coming with a friend. First I’ll talk about the actual painting experience.
They offer a variety of paintings to choose from, from pretty easy looking to more challenging. I had no problems finding paintings that I liked or getting a reservation space once I decided. Emily does a great job walking you through the elements of the paining, creating a new painting herself as she does it. She also uses a white board to demonstrate the trickier aspects, which helps you clearly see what to do. She also encourages you to put your own spin on it, with her instruction as just guidance. Her method of teaching is easy to follow and I came away with some pretty darn good art (IMHO) at the end of each night.
However, I won’t return for a third time because of interactions with Emily before the class began on each night I was there. The first time my friend and I went, I registered us online (or so I thought). There’s a form to fill out that asks for the typical information, plus your voucher number if you have one and the name of anyone you’re going with so you can make sure they seat you together. This first time my friend didn’t register herself separately thinking she was on the list because I had given her name. Wrong, my friend was not on the list and did not have a reservation. And Emily was very annoyed when she pointed that out to us when we showed up for the class. She made it clear my friend and I were wrong and had made an error that upset the seating arrangement of the class (but she accommodated us). The class was completely packed that night so I understood the seating issue and we just chalked the attitude up to having thrown her for a loop.
My friend and I recently signed up for another class. My friend emailed with Emily to inquire about space since it was less than a week away, and she confirmed space and my friend’s reservation. With the prior experience still vivid in my mind, I went online to make my own reservation and make sure I had a seat. I provided my name, voucher number and friend’s name. When we arrived at the class and signed in, Emily told us we had three reservations. Nope, just us two, we said and I said I had gone online to make my separate reservation. Well, that’s three reservations, she said, and just looked at us. (Clearly, there’s still just the two of us standing there.) I’ve already pre-​sketched the canvas, she said, showing me a canvas sketched in pencil. At this point I’m thinking, «Does she expect me to pay $ 45 for another seat for tonight?» There’s a line behind us now and this has drawn into quite the awkward little moment. She gave a big sigh and says she’ll just eat the canvas. So I offered to pay for the canvas and asked how much. $ 5. I paid the extra money and took the canvas home. Where I erased the pencil sketch.
Ironically, during her set up spiel, Emily tells the class not to worry if we sketch something not quite right on our canvases. We can use the eraser that’s with each painting set up to remove it and start again.
To put it bluntly, my friend and I will not return to Artistic Abandon because of the owner’s attitude. We were customers, and guests in the studio, and shouldn’t have been treated rudely because we made a mistake registering. And here’s one last thought: there were only about 20 people in the class that night. When Emily saw there were two «people» registered with the exact same name who were with friends who also had the exact same name, didn’t that raise any questions? A quick phone call or email in advance could have prevented this whole situation.

My husband and I went to last night to paint an interpretation of a Van Gogh painting and really enjoyed ourselves. A lot of what other Unilocalers stated is very true: they pack you in, and if you don’t keep up you’re going to get lost. But if you have zero painting skills you can definitely come up with a painting that resembles what Emily creates.
At the end of the class, Emily announced that if you signed up that night you could get 20% off your next class. I wanted to sign up. My husband did not. It’s expensive, blah blah blah, pretty typical husband responses. We needed to get home right away so there was no time to figure it out there. We talked about it some more and he agreed to do another. I just called to sign up and see if I could still sign up with the 20% off it was a curt no from Emily.
This is a business that is based on living social and groupon. The 20% off enticed us to think about signing up again. The next time you probably could have gotten us with full price. What I got out of her response without her saying it that she was not interested in $ 56 and needed the full $ 70 NOW and it couldn’t wait for the next time we decided we really loved her business and would return numerous times. There are other BYOB painting businesses and we’ll try those out. I guess it’s better to know that now
My advice is to use your deal because it’s worth it but don’t bother supporting this business.

I was excited to try this place out because I had been to Wine & Design and loved it; however, I purchased a LivingSocial deal and even looking at the calendar the next day I realized that all of the classes in the price range on the LivingSocial deal were sold out or ugly paintings. I made an appointment for December but I was taken aback when I called and they had a message that said, «Due to the amount of people who waited until the very last minute to use their LivingSocial deals…» It seemed rude and out of touch. Doing LivingSocial, the company should’ve provided more classes in the LivingSocial price range– not take it out on new and prospective customers.
My advice? Just go to Wine & Design.

Went here for the first time with a living social deal. I went with a bunch of friends and we all had a blast. I was late due to work and the people working there were so kind to catch me up to speed. We were able to bring our own wine and snacks. If you tell them in advance when booking the people who you are with, they will sit you guys near each other. I will return!

Great for girl’s nights or a first date. Love the staff and they are very helpful. If you don’t think you’re an artist… just go here and they’ll prove you wrong. Everyone is an artist at heart!

This is such a happy place, I just love it!
The first time I came here it was with a Groupon. I couldn’t stop cheesing the whole time, it’s everything about it that makes me smile, the painting, the BYOB, the music, the cow bell…
I’ve done the Starry Night and Jazz Band paintings, they were fun too paint, not too difficult but challenging enough. Given that a lot of customers are beginners and slightly inebriated, I appreciate that the painting aren’t too complicated.
I do wish that they would have the more popular paintings on the calendar more often and the less attractive ones not as much. That would make it easier to return more often. Either way, I think Emily does a great job teaching and she always has an assistant floating around to help you out. I’m going back for a third one!

I’ve been wanting to visit this place FOREVER, bought a Living Social deal LAST November, and still didn’t make it in until July. What was I waiting for? This place is great!
Zero painting skills? No problem, Emily the owner walks you through each painting step by step, with tips and tricks on getting your painting to resemble hers. But, she also reminds you that it’s not going to look like hers or anyone else’s, so relax and paint! I’ll recommend Artistic Abandon because it’s somewhere to unwind, try something new (I wouldn’t normally paint) and plus afterwards you have something cool to hang in your home. I plan on visiting pretty often!

Artistic Abandon is fantastic. I was introduced to this studio through Groupon and now I am hooked! While I do enjoy painting, I am far from artistic. Friends and family who have seen my paintings can’t believe I did them! I’ve had the opportunity to do the Japanese cherry blossoms, funky tree, miles the fish, and several others. I have brought at least five friends on my different trips and everyone has loved it. I have always had great experiences here.
I went to another paint and sip studio in the Triangle and was not as impressed. They pre-​draw for you on even the easy paintings. Also, this place didn’t have artists who walked around the room to help those who needed it.
Emily, Rosemary, and the other staff are great teachers. They got me started on a hobby that I never thought I could do. I definitely recommend Artistic Abandon to artists of all levels. If you’re not an artist, you’ll see that you can be once you visit here!

Artistic Abandon offers acrylic painting classes on 16 by 20 inch canvases. All paints, brushes, canvas, and apron provided to keep paint off of your clothing. I’ve taken countless classes here and keep returning as the paintings are challenging and each improves my skills.
While I don’t like all of the paintings that are on the calendar there is no lack of the ones I do like. I like the variety of paintings offered as they appeal to everyone. So the ones I don’t like others love.
Artistic Abandon is different than other painting classes. The owner, Emily, actually paints/​designs the paintings we will do. Then she teaches us step by step these paintings instead of trying to copy the work of someone else. Emily also has a platform she teaches on so she is higher than us. The seating is in four long rows and there is normally an example in the back as well as the front for everyone to see. Then a third example is the one Emily has the one she is painting as we go along. She also uses a dry erase board so that she can draw what we will be painting or shows the correct technique and what we might do wrong.
When the class is full (32 painters) there is an assistant who helps supplying more paint and with our painting if needed. If you are lucky you will get Leslie as the assistant as she is friendly and very helpful. The classes do get full and work room is tight as your paints are under your canvas and your water is to your right.
They offer two and three hour classes. Two hour classes are $ 30 and three hour classes are $ 40. But there is also a frequent painting deal as well as a 20% discount for additional classes booked the same day/​night as your class. So those who want to go frequently are rewarded. Each month there is also a discounted class.
The website calendar is usually up with the paintings about 60 days in advance. Some classes fill up pretty quickly. The website is very user friendly so that you can view the calendar, the painting gallery (all your options) and on the facebook link you can view the pictures of the previous classes to get an idea of what yours will look like. The pictures go up on facebook the same day/​night as well.
If you are curious about painting and always wanted to try this is a good place as everything is provided. Artistic Abandon is a great place to paint and you leave with your own creation at the end of class.

I bought a Living Social deal for myself and my mom as her Mother’s Day present. We had an absolute blast together.
We actually ate first in the car to be sure we arrived on time, which ended up being a great idea because there’s not much room on the painting table to put a plate since next to you on both sides are cups of water for your brushes.
I am so glad I read directions on the website. Knowing to look out for an IHOP really helped find the place because it’s tucked away in that shopping center.
Emily, her husband Vince, and the assistant of the night were nice and welcoming. Emily sets up on a stage in front of the two long tables so you can watch her and follow along as she paints.
Our table mates were really fun, which added to the experience. I think our whole class had a pretty fun vibe going on.
At the end, it was a tad disappointing to be offered a 20% discount for signing up that night for another class, but the calendar only goes through June. Unfortunately, we didn’t find any pieces we really wanted to do in June. It’s not that I don’t feel $ 30/​person is worth it, but on a student budget, I need all the help I can get. I’m hoping another deal comes along so I can enjoy another class.

Aided by a Groupon for two, the liquid courage of a bottle of wine and my enthusiastic friend, we made our way to Artistic Abandon for the evening. I had a little trouble finding it, but a quick call to the shop solved the problem– its located right behind the IHOP, on a sidewing of the shopping center.
Upon checking in, we almost hit a huge snafoo that would have prevented the night from continuing– somehow when my friend and I were registering for the night, we didn’t realize that even when using a groupon for two, my friend would have to register separately. Emily was very clear that this was our fault, even though for the life of me I couldn’t remember the online steps mentioning this. She even knew my friend was coming since I requested sitting with her– emailing me when she realized my friend hadn’t registered (instead of slapping our wrists that night) would have been a welcome action. Luckily, there was one cancellation leaving an empty seat. Just be aware that both parties will have to register online separately – don’t take a chance because these classes fill up!
Emily was a fun, charismatic guide. She didn’t sketch out the paintings for us, but she did remind us to breath and sip our wine from time to time. Instructions were step by step and fairly easy, although my friend still found a way to make the sunflower center as big as her face. Leslie patiently walked her through correcting this, and the fun artists around us made for a very enjoyable evening. If you totally hate your painting at the end, they even offer «Touch Up Saturdays» where you can fix the mistakes you made.
Why the three stars? I’m not racing back– the selection of paintings offered are cartoonish and maybe a bit too basic. I would like to see a broader and more varied calendar. Overall it made for a fun and different night out– now I just have to figure out where to hang my masterpiece!

I think I have painted at Artistic Abandon 8 or 9 times now and have 3 more scheduled. I always have a great time and go home with something I’m proud to display in my home. Although it’s super fun to get some girlfriends together and have a night out, don’t be afraid to go and paint on your own. Almost every time I’ve been was by myself, but everyone is having so much fun, I never feel like I’m alone.
One of the things I really love about this concept is that I don’t have to make a space in my home for doing it, stock supplies, buy brushes and canvasses or clean up afterwards. I can go and have a great time, get away from the stresses of life, and actually learn something while I’m there!
Artistic Abandon also has a fundraiser class at least once a month where they give back to the community. Emily and Vince really go out of their way to make sure you have a great experience and leave with a painting you are happy with. I can’t say enough good things about them!

Got a group of rowdy friends? Sick of the same ol’ same ol’?
Grab a bottle of something, a paint brush and find your inner VanGogh. You can bring your pregnant friends too! This place sets up canvases and even gives you a smock. The knowledgeable instructor and her handsome assistants will guide you, step by step, through the painting you sign up for on their website. (The calendar tells you the painting of the day and if there is space available for you and your party).
Best parts?
After signing a waiver, you can open that bottle of Dom you brought and get your drink on while you paint!
If your painting didn’t turn out quite how you planned, you can come back in on a «touch-​up Saturday» and remedy that.
If you have some kids, it’s a great party idea so that you don’t have 25 six year olds ruining your carpet with cake and punch… and they’ll have a masterpiece to take home to remind their moms why YOU throw the best parties on the block.