Painting the way …
Deciding on the perfect hen’s activity is quite a pressuring task and, in a world, full of countless choices, making the right one can almost feel impossible. To find your perfect hen’s activity, painted in a whole new light, join Melbourne Wedding & Bride’s Alice O’Brien as she discusses with Michele Ling, founder of Paint Your World, about how her art studio can cater for both a memorable and meaningful hen’s activity.
Photography courtesy of Paint Your World
The Mornington Peninsula; a place where the shoreline meets with lush greenery and the feel of Australian summers weaves through salty air. Many consider this beachside location to be a beautiful replica of a painting brought to life. So, it feels only natural that there is a personal and interactive art studio tucked away along the Peninsula. The warm and welcoming art studio is described by Michele as “a creative home where confidence grows, community forms and colour bring people together.”
With a range of art classes for beginner painters through to confident artists, the space provides a creative outlet for all, led by Michele herself. The classes include paint ‘n’ sip sessions, group classes for kids and adults, team events and NDIS painting classes. With the self-described teaching philosophy of “learn to paint, anyone can,” Michele welcomes anyone into her art studio with open and welcoming arms.
Painting The Way … For A Perfect Hens
At first, a painting class at Paint Your World may not instantly be part of the brainstorming session for hens activities, but after reading this article, it can almost be guaranteed you’ll be wanting to give Michele a call to book it in as a hen’s event. Paint Your World caters for any type of private event, including hen’s paint parties, and all are fully customisable with Michele noting that “groups may also BYO drinks and nibbles, or we can cater.” The group is supported by expert instructors offering step-by-step directions to create beautiful paintings worthy of being hung up on the wall. But more than customisable logistics, the paintings themselves can be morphed to match the personalities of the bridal party.
“Groups can choose from a range of themes and styles, from classic scapes to abstract explorations, or you can make a request,” Michele explains.
The ability to make a request is what makes Paint Your World such an attractive hens activity option. Imagine you’re the maid of honour planning the hens and you want every detail to reflect the bride’s personality and all the things that make her distinctly her. Whether it’s her beloved dog, the place where the proposal happened, a favourite travel destination or even the couple’s wedding venue, Paint Your World can create a customised artwork for the bridal party to paint. This bespoke offering transforms a fun activity to double as an opportunity to create a meaningful memory and beautiful keepsake.
Painting The Way … For Relaxation
There is more to choosing Paint Your World as a hen activity than just simply painting, but there’s a focus placed on creating a space for shared connection between the bride and her friends during this exciting chapter of life. Hens nights in the traditional sense, as displayed through the movies we watch or social media we consume, encompasses a fun girl’s night out in the city, and Michele isn’t about replacing this, but rather elevating it.
“You still get the laughter, the connection, the fun moments and the celebratory energy, but without the pressure, the noise or the next day fog,” Michele explains as “it’s a private space where everyone can relax, sip, paint, chat and actually be present with each other.” And that’s what a hen activity is about: spending quality time with loved ones and, at least in the case of Paint Your World, making memories you can quite literally take home.
The act of painting brings the artist holding the brush into the present moment – and yes, whoever holds a paint brush is considered an artist at Paint Your World. Michele explains painting to be relaxing as “your brain slips into a gentle flow
state, colours help regulate your emotions and the repetitive brush movements calm your nervous system,” and for a bride-to-be who’s in the midst of the stressful planning months, a moment of stillness would be much appreciated. But this extends to not just the bride – this reconnection to one’s body is relevant to anyone, as life is chaotic and moments of stillness are hard to find. Michele has never underestimated the power of painting as it can “reconnect you with your senses, grounding you in the moment and gives you the quiet joy of creating something that didn’t exist before.”
These are not empty, even though lovely, words from Michele, but words that come from seeing and experiencing “the beautiful connections between others and most of all, the laughter,” heard when she does run her paint classes.
Painting The Way … For Michele Herself
Becoming a little haven to those who know, the studio location of Paint Your World plays just as an important role as the painting that takes place within its walls.
The Mornington Peninsula, as described by the resident herself, is “the kind of place people exhale the moment they [are] … surrounded by the calm, coastal energy of the Peninsula.” Only after many years of guiding adults and children through the art of painting on a smaller scale, Michele was offered the studio now known as Paint Your World. What pushed her to take the studio and transform it was realising she “had so much more to offer on a broader scale … [and it became her] way of offering a space where people can come exactly as they are, no pressure, no expectations, and leave feeling lighter, brighter, and more connected to themselves.”
Creativity brings momentary bliss from stress and a chance to freely express yourself. For Michele her job and what it offers those who step inside her studio, comes down to five simple words: “I love what I do.”