Elite Event: An Evening Of Italian Art, Food And Drink

Another great Elite event! Now I admit I have not «done any art» for quite a while. Since school when I did GCSE art. I can only remember drawing some things — part of my final group of work to be marked was drawing a Man Utd shirt. I am now a web designer so that is partly a creative job so you could argue I may use some of the skills I learned in school?
Anyway, to the actual event. Upon entering H Blyth we were greeted by the hose Jonny and also got a goodie bag. Its a lovely looking shop with tons of art supplies. If your into art, I recommend coming. There is also a downstairs basement level even bigger with more art stuff.
Downstairs was were the main «action» was taking place — a art demo by John Hassall. Before that, we were served with a Aperol Spritz — an Italian apéritif drink. The most popular drink in Italy apparently. I had never had it before and to be honest didn’t know what it was but it tasted good. However, since it is an apéritif, its purpose is to stimulate appetite, so it made me even more hungry! I did know pizza was coming later on but how long could I last! :)
John Hassall was doing a couple paintings. One was a watercolour and was how to a «forest» scene — the main feature being a tree. The other was an acrylic ocean/​sea scene — which looks brilliant!
Unfortunately, unless you were at the front of the group, you couldn’t really see much of what was happening. Towards the end I managed to find myself nearer the front and could see John in action.
As well as the drinks, goodie bag and art demo, we were also served with some pizza from Slice next door. Unfortunately, unless you were either upstairs and managed to grab a slice before they went passed or at the bottom of the stairs, you were lucky to get some — or had to wait a bit. A case of being in the right place at the right time! I had to make the executive decision to go upstairs and try and get some. I did manage to grab one piece which was nice and tasty.
To end the night, there was a raffle. Everyone had put there name into a box and names were pulled from the box. There were some art supply related prizes and also the chance to win the finished paintings. I think everyone wanted the ocean/​sea one! Unfortunately, I didn’t win anything. Oh well!
Overall, another great evening! If you ever get the chance to come to a Unilocal Elite event (or any Unilocal event actually) — do so!

Having been to previous nights at H Blyth & Co shop, I knew the elite evening would be great. I even managed to catch up with some local creative friends of mine who work in the shop itself and nearby, who had popped in to check the event too.
We were greeted by Jonny who chatted to us about Unilocal in Manchester and what we could expect from the evening itself.
Drink was provided by Aperol Spritz (my first time sampling) which instantly made me long for summer to hurry along that little bit more. It’s easy to see why there was a whole pop up bar dedicated to it down in Spinning Fields last summer.
Food was provided by the ever-​amazing Slice next door, as wooden boards heaving with hearty and healthy (who knew broccoli and chilli on a pizza could taste so delcious?!) slices circled the rooms.
We watched as painter John Hassall provided us with some rather amazing painting demonstrations. He flitted from canvas to paper, as each stage dried, at such a rate that it made my head spin, and this from someone who used to paint regularly. I especially loved how he invited people to ‘ruin’ his paintings, to prove that you can literally make anything work through paint. A scene out to sea initially painted sunny, turned from cloudy, to stormy, to sunny again through other people’s contributions.
It was great fun, with such a fantastic atmosphere!

My first elite Unilocaler night and I left feeling inferior… give me a paint brush and I can paint you a wall and possibly a bannister in serious concentration — give John Halsall a paintbrush (both from B&Q naturally) and he creates a masterpiece WHILST talking us through this and fielding questions from inquisitive Unilocalers; serious art envy.
The evening was a break from the norm of dinner and drinks for us and we left not only feeling like we had discovered a gem within the NQ, but like we were significantly more classy («Stay classy San Diego»). An evening of art, drinks and pizza did not disappoint! We thoroughly enjoyed watching the demonstration, we managed a slice of pizza but being positioned far across the room they were all snaffled before our hands got there. I sampled the Aperol, only a snifter as I was driving but it was tasty and I would consider trying that again.
But truly I loved the vibe at H Blyths, it was cool and hip and I have to admit, I touched all the different papers on the racks. Now let’s be clear, not in a sordid pervy way, just more in appreciation of all the wonderful textures and colours. I was praying I’d win the voucher so I could guilt-​free spend it on some textured paper for… well nothing really, I would find something to make out of it.
Thanks to Jonny Q, John Halsall and H Blyths for putting on an ace evening. I will be back to H Blyths, if only to touch up the paper again.

A really enjoyable evening. Friendly staff, great food & wine and a chance to chat with the amazing John Hassall. Will certainly be visiting the shop again … and again !!! Well done guys :-)

I will unashamedly admit from the off that my relationship with modern «art» is a love/​hate one. The idea that a magnificent animal is killed/​stuffed and $ 100,000 is wasted on chemicals to preserve it for Art’s sake doesn’t agree with me. Furthermore, the fact that the ‘artist’ and piece in question are then lauded as «iconic symbols of Britart» would infuriate me if it wasn’t so laughable and indelibly insignificant.
On the flip side drive around Greater Manchester and the refreshing nature of some magnificent street art is vehemently inspiring. I approached this event therefore with an open mind, secretly harbouring hopes of seeing something spectacular. I wasn’t disappointed.
My impatient nature when it came to constructing something as complex as a painting robbed me of a career as Picasso. (What? You never know!) Perhaps the fault was with my method rather than the form but growing up I never ventured past the realms of a cartoonic doodle here & there. (No I know that’s not a real word, sounded good in my head though!) Thats not to say I wasn’t fascinated by the panache involved in the process. I envied those at school who seemed to have a natural flair for creating these brilliant works of art. That envy returned as I saw John Hassall hypnotise his audience like a magician, creating not one but two paintings for around 40 invited guests. I gathered little when he spoke ever so quietly, it mattered little as the brush strokes created all the narrative needed. A mesh of random colours crystallised into a fine painting of a rough sea, bit like a camera lens bringing a high definition image into focus from a blur. Like a chess player he was 15 moves ahead with each brushstroke. We couldn’t work out what the initial random blobs were but he could, whether it be a rock, a cloud or a wave. It was marvellous viewing.
So good he was that most of us had already forgotten about the delicious Aperol Spritz Lucy had made us at the start of proceedings (or maybe it was the cause…) Pizza slices were magnificent from Slice but if truth be told, even though I was chattering away with fellow Unilocalers and enjoying the F&B, secretly I was following John’s painting as if he was the pied piper. I did my best to hide my disgust like a losing Academy award nominee with gracious smile & applause but DAMN IT I really wanted to win those paintings in the raffle! Oh well maybe that Saki I won at the Feb elite event was a flash in the pan of my lucky charms. Boohoo for me. Oh well every cloud and all that because I did have something to take away with me as an elite.
With my goody bag I will attempt after nearly two decades to paint. It will be dreadful, of that there is no doubt. But as The great Bruce Lee once said, in great attempts, it’s glorious even to fail. I plan to fail gloriously AND with a smile to boot.
Food & drink may have hegemonic control over Unilocal events, but like a rebellious teenager this particular event broke free of that tradition. Kudos must go to JQ for arranging something different. Long may it continue.

It’s been waaaay too long since my GCSE Art class days (I got a C, by the way) so spending an evening in an arty venue and being able to watch some live painting was certainly going to help me relive those fond memories.
With his characteristically warm welcome and a goodie bag for each of us in hand, our very own Jonny Q filled us in on what the evening would bring (but we knew he was holding some things back to keep them as surprises).
Heading down to the basement level and being served a refreshing Aperol Spritz (an Italian ‘apéritif’ cocktail) there was just enough time to have a chat with fellow Elites, other Unilocalers and other art enthusiasts before the live art part of the evening started. I’ve never seen such a well-​attended Unilocal event, there must have been 40-​odd people there.
John Hassall, a mild mannered yet mesmerisingly talented painter, started a watercolour painting and whilst part of it was drying, turned to using acrylic paints on another canvas. Once we’d seen the scenes start to take shape, a small number of willing volunteers (including myself) had a go with the paintbrush. My tree was… let’s say I’m undecided between abstract and surrealism… but with a bit of drying time it didn’t turn out too bad in the end.
Some pizzas were brought down from Slice next door but although they looked delicious, I didn’t have any (partly because a friend and I had earlier snook into nearby Pie and Ale and had pie and ale, and partly because if I’d been within reach no-​one else would have eaten that night).
Really enjoyed the evening, thanks to JQ for organising and H. Blyth for hosting, I’m off to register for art classes to improve on that ‘C’.

There’s such a welcoming vibe to any Unilocal event, turns out that ten-​folds when you mix Jonny & a shop full of Unilocalers with a Northern Quarter institution.
H Blyth has such an honest atmosphere. It’s stood the test of time and for good reason. The displays, the range of supplies and the no nonsense interior combine to create a sense of confidence. They sure know what they’re talking about.
After a quick catch up with Jonny (who was on top form, as always), me and my name badge descended the stairs into a huge basement full of art supplies and Unilocalers. A lovely lady demonstrated how to make the perfect Aperol Spritz before handing me the glass of luminous orange liquid. Apparently popular in Italy as an apéritif, it promised punchy fruit flavour but was a little bitter for me.
Drinks in hand, everyone gathered around a table to watch the amazing John Hassall effortlessly demonstrate what can be achieved with the art supplies around us. John alternated between an acrylic painting and a watercolour giving us handy hints along the way. It was fascinating watching John paint.
Once he had wowed us with his skills, John encouraged his audience to come forward and add to/​ruin the incredible scenes he had created. He calmly watched as new clouds were haphazardly added and was obviously chuffed that people were engaged and being creative. I’m glad to have had the opportunity to meet such a lovely, talented man.
The smell of fresh pizza made it down the stairwell followed by actual fresh pizza from Slice. Unfortunately, most of the slices never made it past the bottom stair without being gobbled up but I was lucky enough to grab a square of mushroom pizza. It was full of cheesy goodness mixed with earthy mushroom flavour. I tried to eat it gracefully. Photographic evidence suggests that I didn’t try hard enough.
All in all a brilliant evening full of firsts; first visit to H Blyth, first taste of Aperol Spritz, first munch on Slice pizza. Big thanks to Jonny for making it happen.
A new John-​instillied enthusiasm coupled with H Blyth supplies and I’m all set.
It’s just a shame they don’t sell skill.

Another fabulous night by Manchester Unilocal!It’s great to see independent businesses such as H. Blyth & Co getting attention and a platform to share their long history with people who wouldn’t normally have had reason to go in — so big thanks to them for opening their basement and organising the live painting demo and thanks to Unilocal for being such a champion of all things local.
I think the other reviews have summed the evening up perfectly eloquently so for my review I will summarise in a slightly different way… For any potential businesses not convinced on the ROI of partnering with Unilocal to do an event — when I left the Evening of Italian Art, Food and Drink I went straight next door to Slice to buy dinner for me and my fella at home and have since purchased two bottles of Aperol — now I just need some sunny weather to enjoy it in!

This evening at H Blyth was my second Elite event to date: I was lured in by the promise of free pizza, intrigued by an art demonstration, and honestly a bit clueless to what Aperol Spritz actually was.
I turned up around 6.30 to find a lovely little art supplies shop, already packed with people. Not being of a particularly visually arty persuasion, it’s unlikely that I would have visited this shop otherwise. I’ll b recommending it to all my arty friends however.
I was ushered downstairs where I was treated to a big glass of Aperol Spritz (now I know what it is, and it is delicious, before settling in to watch an art demonstration from John Hassal.
I find that often with traditional art, I’m much more interested with the process of how it’s done than the finished product. John’s paintings displayed behind him were lovely, but it was absolutely fascinating to watch how it’s done. Of course, he made it look easy. I hovered around the table but managed to avoid having a go myself.
Pizza appeared at various intervals, from Slice next door. Slice has been on my list for a while — and I’m even more tempted now I’ve tried a few of their flavours.
Once again it was a great night with excellent company, and once again a big thanks to Jonny for hosting and for the invite.

Tony Hart made it look easy and so did John who was at H Blyth to give Unilocalers a watercolour and oil painting demonstration.
Jonny had put on a great event at this lovely little independent art shop, which has been in the area long before the Northern Quarter was invented.
With Aperol spritz and delicious pizza, courtesy of Slice next door, the evening was a great success, although I was a tad disappointed that John wasn’t more impressed with my idea of painted clouds. Oh well, I’ll leave it to the master.

H. Blyth & Co is an absolute must visit if you are into art, I could believe the range of stock — they have a massive area downstairs too. I unfortunately don’t know anything about painting so my main thought on a lot of the supplies was that they looked delicious, but now I have an amazing goodie bag I will try to figure it out!
Watching John painting was so so great. As Gayle says, it is such a rare opportunity to see an artist work and to gain a little bit of insight into the process. He made it look so easy and basically let people do all kinds of things to his paintings which still turned out beautifully. And he very generously gave both paintings away at the end!
As for the food and drink, the Slice Pizza was way better than what I’ve tried there before, I think probably because it was freshly cooked. Both pepperoni and broccoli toppings were delicious. Even more delicious was the Aperol Spritz, which considering my love of negronis and Prosecco is basically the perfect drink for me: refreshing and punchy without being either too sweet or too strong.
Great night!

What a wonderful evening to make my Unilocal debut.
A fantastic venue, thank you to all at Blyth’s for making us all feel so welcome, for hosting the event and for the fabulous goodie bag. A superb local business that I intend to visit again in the future.
John’s demos have inspired me to pick up a paint brush for the first time since my GCSE days. He was fantastic. A joy to watch.
A special thank you to Jonny Q for organising such a great night. I could tell how much hard work he had put into the evening and think I speak for everyone in saying that your all your efforts allowed us all to enjoy a seamless and fun night.
I met some lovely people, had some brilliant chats and was welcomed by so many. I’ve spoken about my evening to several people at work today.
I’m already looking forward to my next Unilocal event.
Craig

Another excellent elite event. Have never been in H Blyth before but was immediately impressed by the variety of arty stuff they sell. If you are a budding artist then this is the place to visit. Was given an excellent elite goody bag containing lots of great stuff from the shop.
First we headed to the aperol spritz stand. Have had aperol spritz a few times but was good to hear a few tips from Lucy about what else to mix it with.
The highlight of the night was definitely watching an artist produce a painting especially one as talented as John. He made it look so easy and it was so interesting watching the process and seeing the techniques used. This is something I have never seen before and is the great thing about going to an elite event. You get to experience something new and see the best of what the city has to offer.
Finally we had some delicious pizza from slice. A very enjoyable and informative evening. Thank you so much Jonny for organising.

Due to the nature of my job, I had previously been unable to attend any Unilocal events — working in a bar tends to prevent you being able to go out on Fridays or Saturdays! Imagine my joy when Jonny invited me along to a Thursday night event — and told me that I had a fastpass for early entry! I RSVP’d with a firm «hell yeah!»
Wandering down the street, I got briefly distracted admiring the many local bars (got to love the Northern Quarter) before I finally spotted H Blyth & Co. Tonight’s vibe was an arty one, with the lovely John doing a live art demonstration for us — a watercolour forest scene, and an acrylic seascape. He made painting look so easy, though I just knew if I’d given it a go the paper would have looked like a three year old had scrawled all over it! A few brave souls did contribute to the paintings, and their watercolour trees looked brilliant.
Lucy from Aperol Spritz had come along to pour us a lovely summery Italian drink, and teach us about the proper serve of Aperol Spritz. Step one: Pop a load of ice cubes in the glass. Step two: Pour in your Cinzano Prosecco — you want 3 parts in this drink. Step three: Add two parts Aperol. Step four: Add a splash of soda water, and an orange slice. Perfecto! This way, the Aperol (a heavy liquid) doesn’t all settle at the bottom, rather it gently mingles with the Prosecco to create a beautifully light summer apertif. I know last summer was supposed to be The Summer of Aperol Spritz, but I would be shocked if it didn’t have a huge presence in 2014. It’s accessible for people who aren’t booze nerds, whilst still being subtle enough to please those with fussy palates. Definitely Campari and Soda’s glam little sibling.
The Aperol was soaked up thanks to Slice, who sent over some gorgeous pizzas for us to nibble on. Later in the evening, there was a raffle, with the lucky winners going away with tshirts, art supplies, vouchers, and even the paintings John had worked on throughout the event! Thoroughly good fun, and Lucas managed to snap some excellent pictures to commemorate the evening. Thanks to everybody for being so friendly and welcoming — I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Another cracking event organised by Jonny Q!
I’ve been lucky enough to be invited to a couple of Unilocal events previously, focused around food & drink, this one at independent art supplies store H. Blyth & Co. on Stevenson Square (next to Koffee Pot) took a different tack.
The main focus was around a live painting demonstration by an engaging chap by the name of John Hassall, working on 2 paintings, one in watercolour & the other in acrylic. It was a fascinating demo, watching how versatile both mediums are and seeing the process of how an artist works is really interesting.
John also encouraged people from the rather large crowd (seriously, there was loads of people there) to get involved, adding paint to the acrylic landscape and showing how colours and forms blend to create the whole picture. It was rather good, my only complaint was that I couldn’t quite hear John well enough (I was stood behind him), a mic would have been useful.
H. Blyth’s were a gracious host, providing us with discounts in store and goody bags (that were great, I had a peek) for people that spent a tenner. Jonny also managed to rope in someone from Aperol Spritz to provide a rather nice drink containing the aforementioned apéritif, with Prosecco & soda water. Not the sort of thing I’d normally drink, but could imagine myself sat by a beach sipping on a few these — lovely combination of orange bitterness and sweetness, quite surprised how much I liked it actually.
Not content with plying us with a drink, next door’s pizzeria Slice were on hand to provide a bit of sustenance — I didn’t really manage to get a bite, as I was watching John too intently, but it all looked lovely.
The atmosphere of the evening was most convivial, with a combination of regular Unilocalers and a large contingent of artists no doubt encouraged by the live demonstration and the shop itself, hopefully the newbies will have seen enough of Jonny Q’s excellent event organisation, working with great local businesses to get Unilocaling more!

What’s that Jonny, you want us all to meet up in a cellar in the Northern Quarter and watch paint dry?
Oh, ok then, what time?
He never said that, what he said was that we should all meet up at H Blyth & Co for an evening of art, drinks and pizza. Of course it would’ve been terribly bad form not to go!
The elites among us were allowed entry at 6pm, where we each received a goodie bag of art supplies, which cheered the arty amongst us up no end (not that they needed cheering up).
Then we ventured down stairs to be greeted to a refreshing glass of Aperol (An Italian apéritif) spritz, which to put it simply was, Aperol, prosecco and soda water, finished off with ice and a slice of orange. It was a very nice drink;not fully to my taste as i’m not a fan of prosecco.
Then followed a few words from Jonny and from the Man from Blyths (a terrible way of saying that I can’t rememer his name.)
We were then introduced to our artist for the evening John, who strode towards the table and screamed at the top of his lungs «LETS ART!!!» He didn’t of course, he was much too nice a man to do something like that.
Flanked by some of his works John then proceeded to paint 2 pictures, one a water colour and the other one an acryilic, and he also let some of us (not me, not unless he wanted a pigs ear to be made of it) have a crack at it too.
Whilst this was going on the delights of Slice Pizza (Handily next door) started to arrive in a steady pizzery stream. If you haven’t eaten their delights yet, please go and show them some love because they are awesome at what they do!
The evening started winding down, but not before the raffle had taken place, various prizes were given away, from t-​shirts and art supplies;to gift vouchers and even one (or maybe 2, I forget) of John’s pictures. I didn’t win anything;so we’ll skip past this bit ;)
All in all another great event, a big well done to Jonny for organizing it, H Blyth & co for hosting it, the folks from Aperol and Slice for refreshing us and of course John for the painting and for being a very nice man…
Top stuff!