By Events Assistant, Clarissa Hampton
On Thursday, August 11th, P.S. ARTS took over The Park at The Grove for an evening of bites, brews, and art making! Graciously hosted by The Grove, P.S. ARTS’ Paints & Pints provided guests a taste of the important work we do throughout the Los Angeles community. Building on the spirit of the first Paints & Pints event, this follow-up created a community in which guests could imagine, create, and collaborate with one another. Smaller in scale than some of our other events, Paints & Pints did not lack in inspiration and creativity. The art, the eats, and the tunes (generously provided and perfectly mixed by P.S. ARTS favorite, DJ Ben Goldsmith with Backhaüs Productions) made Paints & Pints an evening to remember!
This was my first undertaking as the new Events Assistant at P.S. ARTS, and I loved being part of the team that made Paints & Pints such a magical evening. Thanks to the dedication of our wonderful hosts, the generosity of The Grove and Caruso Affiliated, and the hard work of our volunteers, the evening was a huge success, raising over $3,500 for our award-winning programs!
The Art
Guests showed off their creative side by making a pair of tile coasters inspired by renowned Abstract Expressionist and Color Field painter Helen Frankenthaler. Using permanent markers and some rubbing alcohol, guests imitated Frankenthaler’s dreamy colorscapes. (You can copy our simple process at home with the guidance of our To-Go Sheet here!) Guests transformed into artists as they improvised with colors and patterns, resulting in a variety of designs and forms on their finished coasters. The final projects were magnificent!
The Eats
Even the menu at Paints & Pints was inspired! A huge thank you is owed to Blue Ribbon and Umami Burger for providing the tastiest of bites to our guests. Blue Ribbon crafted custom hand rolls that were as beautiful as they were delicious. The delectable rolls were paired with a classic wine selection and a Yuzu Sangria which was a guest favorite. Umami Burger served up a heartier fare, featuring three of their signature burgers as sliders and both thin and sweet potato fries (I confess, I indulged on more than my fair share of sweet potato fries over the course of the evening. Have you tried their house ketchup? It’s my favorite!). Umami also provided the “Pints” for the night with a fine selection of craft beer. If you like what you tasted, please visit their restaurants or order from their websites!
The Raffle
One of the most exciting points of the night was the raffle, which gave guests an opportunity to win some sweet P.S. ARTS swag and other goodies! The Grove generously donated a date night package and beauty basket, and MeUndies donated a $250 gift certificate. In addition to providing guests an exciting chance to win some amazing prizes, all proceeds from the raffle ticket sales will go to providing arts education to the 25,000 students P.S. ARTS serves each week.
This event would not have been possible without the support of The Grove and Caruso Affiliated, Umami Burger, Blue Ribbon, DJ Ben Goldsmith with Backhaüs Productions, and the support of our amazing hosts and volunteers. We would also like to thank Nicole Valencia (@zikohl | soblur.com) for capturing the magic of the evening with her camera. To view photos from the event, visit our album on Facebook. We are so grateful for your continued support and can’t wait to see you all at our next event!
