The rainy weather may have forced the event out from under the trees and indoors, but this certainly did not dampen anyone’s spirit in the slightest!
Arriving at the stunning Warwick Wine Estate just outside of Stellenbosch, we were greeted by Tata Madiba standing proudly at the entrance of the venue in statue form – a beautiful tribute to the father of our nation. Before even entering the venue, the sound of excited chitter-chatter could be heard from everyone inside, patiently waiting for the fun to begin.
Each person is presented with a miniature easel, a blank page, paintbrushes and three small jars of what looks like diluted brownish-red paint but is really various shades of wine. The excitement starts to build as the formalities finish off and the lovely Lily Brannon, the featured artist for the day, takes to her easel in front of the room to begin the painting experience. Her bubbly personality immediately sets everyone at ease as they begin practicing with their wine “paint” and sipping away at their complimentary glass of rose while doing so.
From a young age Lily has been experimenting with all types of natural mediums; anything from beetroot and spices in the kitchen to leaves and flowers. Over the years Lily has explored more sophisticated mediums like charcoal and red wine. Wine is layered in symbolism. It holds a story of transformation from the moment the farmer plants a vineyard right through to the glass in your hand - much like the transformation of charcoal.
Once everyone starts to feel more comfortable working with this new medium and practicing different techniques under Lily’s guidance, it’s time to start painting the final masterpiece which is a beautifully delicate protea flower (or Freedom Flower as it was Freedom Day). This is when the boards are turned over to reveal a fresh white page, and the fun really begins!
Lily interacts with her audience in the most amazing way as she guides them through the painting process step by step and walks around to assist where needed with one-on-one attention. The atmosphere is warm and lively with laughter and chatter coming from every corner of the room as the budding artists enjoy themselves tremendously.
As the finishing touches are added to each person’s Protea masterpieces, Lily gives her audience final tips and tricks and encourages them to add their own personal flair to their artworks!
By this stage, everyone is feeling very pleased with their work, a little tipsy from their wine and very ready for some delicious food provided by Warwick Estate.
Lunch is served in the form of beautifully rustic wooden picnic boxes brought to each guest, filled with an inviting array of spreads, salads, bread and cheeses - the perfect selection of wholesome, fresh nibbles for a cozy indoor picnic! While the guests enjoy their gourmet picnic and each other’s company, the friendly staff at Warwick ensure that everyone’s tummies are full and glasses are never empty.
Sadly, the fun day of painting and sipping draws to an end (like all good things in life), but this by no means leaves anyone feeling down. It’s been an incredible event and all for an amazing cause – the proceeds from all Paint & Sip events go to helping Call 2 Care improve lives through education!
What more could you ask for!
We want to say a huge thank you to our artist extraordinaire Lily Brannon who continues to teach and inspire us all with her creativity!
Follow her on her socials:
Instagram: @lilybrannonfineart or @iamartsa
Facebook: Lily Brannon Fine Art
Website: www.lilybrannon.com or www.iamart.co.za
To the gorgeous Warwick Wine Estate and Misha Tichelaar, events co-ordinator, and staff for the most beautiful backdrop, wine and delicious treats!
And to all our guests… We couldn’t do it without you!