Don't drink the paint water is the catchphrase.
Spirited Art, a franchised painting studio, offers classes for people wanting to learn the basics of acrylic painting with good friends while sipping good wine.
Each class features a different masterpiece and instructor, taught step-by-step.
"We are mainly about having a good time and you get to leave with something you are proud of and you actually enjoyed doing," said Sarah Canivez, lead teacher and owner of Spirited Art in Auburn. "It's meant to be fun and it's meant to be relaxing."
The studio, located at 3051 Frederick Road in Opelika in the Shoppes at Midtown next to Momma Goldberg's, officially opens Oct. 11.
"The way it works, is we already have a pre-set calendar where we pick most of the paintings on a daily basis," said Vincent Canivez, studio manager and owner. "The way we pick it could be, we like the painting or we've heard people coming to our class saying 'Hey, we really like this kind of painting.' Basically, it's driven by requests or personal interest from us."
Spirited Art offers one class per day starting at 6:30 p.m., and usually takes two - two and a half hours to complete.
All adult classes are $35 each. The Canivez's encourage customers to bring their own food and beverages. The studio also offers summer camps and is working on a Christmas mini-camp.
"Even if they have tried other painting places, we are not all the same," Sarah said. "It's like watching one movie and you don't like it, and decide you don't like movies. You know, maybe give it another shot."
Sarah taught classes at the Spirited Art studio in Huntsville before moving to Auburn. She graduated from Auburn in 2009 with a degree in art and English.
"In college, I got really big into painting, I used to be into drawing super realistic stuff," Sarah said. "Then you start painting and you're like, this is way more fun, because it doesn't have to look exactly like a picture. You can use your creative energy."
All ages are welcome to take classes, and Sarah said she has even taught a group of ladies in their '90s.
"Everyone, even if you're not an artist or someone who is super mathematical or super type-A, you are still going to have a little creative side," Sarah said. "But I think it gives people a way to almost be a kid again, to do something just because it's fun not because you have to or because you have accomplish something."
Vincent, Sarah's husband, was raised in France and attended a French university. As part of his business-school curriculum, he studied abroad in Auburn.
"For the past two years, we have had an entrepreneurial lifestyle," Vincent said. "We try to do our own stuff."
Sarah and Vincent married in 2009 and lived in France for more than a year while Vincent finished graduate school.
While he was in class, Sarah taught English classes, learned graphic design and French.
"We are really adventurous [and] really crazy," Sarah said. "We are kind of fly by the seat of our pants kind of people."
Vincent said professionally, the two are not living a mainstream business life.
"Definitely we love Auburn, that's a big reason why we came. That was our first idea," Vincent said. "We know Auburn, we know the people and we love it."
But making southern routes hasn't always been the Canivez way.
"We lived in France for almost a year and a half. We did the whole city thing. We lived up North, where it's cold," Sarah said. "We decided after that, we are small town people. We like to travel, but as far as making a home, Auburn I think is perfect."
Since settling south, the Canivez's made art their life with Spirited Art and their family has only accommodated.
"We like to take on unusual things, I think," Sarah said. "Like diaper-wearing cats and multiple businesses."
Chubby, their cat, suffers from Spina Bifida, but still rocks an Auburn diaper. Their other cat, Tiger, likes the Auburn Tigers.
"None of it has been planned, one thing has led to another. And we met in a parking lot through a mutual friend," Sarah said. "And then we started dating and never thought it would go anywhere, but we are still here. You make plans and at least with my life apparently, plans don't mean anything to the one who is controlling it."
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