Treat your favorite lady to a special outdoor painting event at Tusculum University in recognition of Mother’s Day.
As part of its Painting with the Masters series, the Center for the Arts will hold a painting workshop Thursday, May 11, at 6 p.m. on the Doak House Museum grounds. The event will be led by Bill Bledsoe, assistant professor of art and design and an accomplished local artist for 45 years.
No painting experience is required to participate.
“Enjoy the ambience of the lovely Doak House, one of the many historic buildings on the campus of Tennessee’s first higher education institution,” said Rouja Green, director of the Center for the Arts. “We have thoroughly enjoyed hosting the community for painting events on campus and welcome guests to join us for this latest opportunity to grow their painting skills and create lifelong memories while celebrating Mother’s Day.”
The Center for the Arts launched the Painting with the Masters series in February with Couples Painting Night on Valentine’s Day. This event sold out, and because it was a major success, the Center for the Arts decided to move to a larger venue this time. The Center for the Arts also held an en plein air event in front on the landmark Old Oak Tree during the Old Oak Festival.
In addition to painting, attendees at the Doak House event can have their pictures taken at a photo booth. They can also hear great music from Strings of Green, a bluegrass band fronted by Brandon Green, a performer for more than 20 years. The other band members are three of his sons, Josiah, Ezekial and Ezra. Bite Me Bistro, a local food truck, will be at the Doak House for people to purchase dinner and desserts.
Bledsoe said participants in the event will create a painting of the Doak House and include flowers that are in bloom at this time of year and native to the area. He will direct them on the elements of the painting through demonstration. Then, he will visit with the participants to provide feedback and help them with any enhancements to their work.
“This is a novel way to celebrate Mother’s Day and allow moms to participate in something they are creating – potentially with a significant other or a family member – that they will remember in the future,” Bledsoe said. “Traditionally, mothers are taken out to eat or provided flowers that commemorate the coming of spring. Being able to create a painting that captures that time period is something they will never forget. They can then still celebrate Mother’s Day three days later in whatever manner they like.”
Tickets are available for as many as 20 painting stations, and as many as three people can work at a station. The cost is $40 per station, and tickets can be purchased at https://arts.tusculum.edu/. All proceeds from ticket sales will support the Tusculum arts program.
Should it rain on May 11, the Doak House event will be rescheduled to Tuesday, May 16, or Thursday, May 18. That announcement will be made on the Facebook pages of the university, and the Center for the Arts.
Anyone with questions about the Mother’s Day painting event or other Center for the Arts programming can email Rouja Green at [email protected].
