Meet Beth Davies of Frida’s Sip n’ Paint in Camberwell Junction

For those keen to bring out their inner artist, a visit to Frida’s Sip n’ Paint in Camberwell Junction is a must.

The studio gives people the chance to paint a work of art, with full guidance from a trained instructor, while enjoying a relaxed social outing where they can also indulge in their favourite beverage and nibbles.

Studio Manager Beth Davies said Frida’s offers a luxurious experience, with a red carpet arrival, a drinks top-up service, and quality materials available for participants to use.

While the studio has a bring-your-own (BYO) drinks policy, glassware, ice and buckets are all supplied. Participants can also order grazing boxes alongside their ticket purchase, and the nibbles can be enjoyed during the session.

Sessions are available on some weeknights, with options for afternoon and evening sittings on weekends.

Some sessions are suitable for children – the family session is only 2 hours and the whole family can paint together, or there is an option for children to attend and parents or a carer can attend in a supervisory capacity only.

At the end of the session, participants get to take their finished artwork home.

Painting made accessible

Each 2.5-hour session includes a canvas painting workshop led by a professional artist who breaks down the process of creating the painting into about six or seven manageable steps.

“It’s all very fun and very simple, so you don’t need any sort of creative background at all. It’s designed for people to have fun, express themselves, get them painting, and get them into that creative mindset,” Davies said.

While a lot of people who attend the class say they haven’t painted in years and feel overwhelmed at the prospect of completing an entire artwork, Davies said many of them walk away surprised.

“So many of them say ‘I can’t believe I painted this’,” she said.

As the session is broken into multiple manageable steps, with instructions for completing each phase of the painting staggered throughout the session, everyone participating is able to accomplish a great end result.

“We’ll start off with the outline, then the background. They get told everything from which brush to use to mixing certain colours together, and usually we’ll break down the paint mixing. They don’t get shown everything all at once – we do one step at a time so they don’t feel overwhelmed,” Davies said.

“It’s supposed to be a fun session, so we want people to come in and feel like they can have a few drinks and still produce something pretty good.”

An event for many occasions

A lot of people attend the sip n’ paint session with a friend or in a small group so they can combine a social catch-up with an interesting activity.

The studio has hosted larger groups for specials occasions like birthdays, hen’s nights, and baby showers.

Businesses can also use the venue for team-building events or their annual Christmas party if they are looking for something different.

“And there doesn’t have to be alcohol involved; it doesn’t have to be a party. It can just be a little catch-up with friends on a Saturday afternoon, for example,” Davies said.

If people want to have a private session outside of what is listed on the timetable, the studio can easily accommodate. Simply contact the studio to arrange it.

An ode to Frida

Frida’s studios are adorned with a luxe lounge, chandeliers and iconic portraits of its namesake: Frida Kahlo, the renowned Mexican painter.

Many of the studio’s sessions also offer the opportunity to paint a portrait of Frida in different styles.

“The story behind the name of our studio actually has two origins: Frida Kahlo the painter, of course, and our co-founder’s grandmother was also called Freda. Her name was Freda Podesta and she was known for embracing the fun things in life and enjoyed having a few drinks,” Davies said.

“So the studio is all about how these two worlds collide – the history of a world-renowned artist and the more modern connection.”

Art made fun

Those looking to enjoy a unique experience in a sophisticated atmosphere are sure to enjoy Frida’s Sip n’ Paint.

“It’s about getting people together so they can express themselves creatively and have a good time in a relaxed space,” Davies said.

One aim of the sessions is to allow people to engage in an activity that is therapeutic, giving them the chance to disconnect from the outside world for a few hours.

“Also, it’s meant to be a relaxing experience. You can just come along with a cup of coffee and enjoy a chat, if you want to. That social aspect allows you to get into that creative mindset,” Davies said.

“We always say: it’s not supposed to be fine art, it’s fun art.”

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