Recently, I spent an evening at Divine Studios in Saint John, taking part in an abstract painting class led by artist and studio owner Abi Reinhart. It was the kind of night that reminds you just how much creative energy is alive in this city.
Divine Disorder
Divine Studios is a gorgeous, well-lit, open-concept space that easily fit the 20 ish of us who showed up, ready (or at least willing) to get a little messy. The goal wasn’t exactly chaos, but it was about letting go. We were encouraged to be free with a blank 16x20 inch canvas, experimenting with paints, markers, crayons, and even non-traditional tools like squares of cardboard, strings and toothbrushes.
We had two hours to sip wine, eat snacks and create a masterpiece, or at least something worth hanging. What I loved most was seeing so many people from the community, mostly women, come together for a night of creativity and laughter. Divine Studios has become an outlet for the artistic energy that’s all around Saint John, a space where you don’t need to be a “real” artist to show up and make something.
About half the class had never picked up a paintbrush before, but by the end of the night, everyone left with a smile, and something special (whether we hang it or not).
For me, the lesson learned was a reminder I needed: sometimes you just have to push through and get messy (inside and out). As someone who paints regularly, I can get stuck trying to control the outcome, believing if my work doesn't "look" like something, it’s not good enough. But abstract painting, which I absolutely adore, isn’t about that. It’s about letting go.
Admittedly, I showed up dressed more for a date night than a paint night, and it showed in my slightly contrived final piece. But next time, I’ll remember that sometimes you don’t have to know exactly where you’re going. You just have to go with the flow.
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