Painting with a Twist, a paint-and-sip franchise, opened its first Wisconsin location last week in Whitefish Bay.
The studio, located at 155 E. Silver Spring Drive, Suite 201, is one of 350 franchise locations across 39 states.
Similar to other paint-and-sip concepts, Painting with a Twist offers art classes taught by local artists who use step-by-step instructions to guide attendees through the painting process. Meanwhile, painters can sip on locally-sourced beer and wine sold at the studio. At the end of the class, they can take home their creation.
Each month, the studio will host Painting with a Purpose, a class that will donate 50 percent of its proceeds to a local charity. The event is one of the company’s founding concepts as it was first started in New Orleans in 2007 to support the community after Hurricane Katrina.
“I want to give back to community and help people find their inner artists,” franchise owner Brendan Makarewicz said.
Neither an artist or a businessman, he said, Makarewicz, a Milwaukee native, decided to open the franchise after he and his wife moved back to the city from Pittsburgh. They had attended a Painting with a Purpose event at a studio in Pittsburgh and realized Milwaukee’s North Shore market had nothing like it.
“The main goal for the business is paying our artists sustainable living wages, giving back to the community or charities, and creating a fun activity that the community can experience,” he said.
The space, located above Erik’s Bike Shop, can accommodate up to 45 people– with seating for 40 people in its larger main room and seating for 20 people in its private event room. Makarewicz said the studio was full during its grand opening last week.
Painting with a Twist will be open Wednesday through Friday, 5 to 9 p.m.; on Saturday, 12 to 9 p.m.; and on Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m.
