Art is messy, and Splat Paint House is well aware of that. The two-month pop-up at Joo Chiat co-working space Mox is all about expressing your creativity with paint, but the rules don’t apply here. So shed your inhibitions but don some protective coveralls, ’cause the studio hosts “splatter sessions” for visitors to design a colorful canvas of their own by way of flinging paint, using spray bottles, and even shooting water guns.
Elegant, sophisticated art jamming with a side of tea and scones, it is most certainly not. But it is therapeutic, in the way that bashing things at The Fragment Room’s rage corner is. However, this place appeals more to people who want to create something out of nothing, instead of destroying stuff.
Set up by 27-year-old Andrea Lim, the concept was inspired by her one of her college experiences in Portland, Oregon, a couple years ago. The Singaporean was invited by a friend to his warehouse, where a chill out space was carved out of an unoccupied room for friends to mess around with wall paints and canvas.
“As a non-artist, that place was heaps of fun,” Lim told Coconuts Singapore. “When I came back to Singapore, I felt that despite the prevalence of art jam places, many people still get pretty stressed when they go (I know I did too!), because they feel like they’re unable to properly copy the photo that they are (usually) painting from. I started scheming of ways to bring that spare room experience here!”
To begin, the starter package will get you a 40cmx50cm canvas, 400ml of paints, two syringes, and one squirt bottle or water gun — all for the price of S$39. Other unconventional tools include cups, straws, strings, and balloons, or you could always use brushes to hurl paint at your canvas. The paint used is child-safe and washable, and tools are cleaned after each round of painters come through.
You won’t have to wear your rattiest outfit either, because full-body coveralls, shoe protectors, safety glasses, and gloves are provided as well.
“I want people to feel liberated as they create a mess (our walls are all fair game, and people love it!) and have fun while creating a piece of art they can take home,” Lim explained. “Kids love it… and most adults I think come in with some skepticism but end up really warming up and having a blast too.”
“Based on my personal experience, for adults it actually gets even better the second time (if the intention is to create a really cool piece of art),” she added. “The first time it’s like being a kid in a candy shop, and you just have fun discovering all the different ways you can ‘play’… the second time, having learnt that, and getting inspired by what other people are doing, you then have more of an idea of what you can do on your canvas.”
Besides the standard session, guests can also choose other experiences like Date Night (S$105), which comes with two starter packages and the option of a red or white bottle of boutique French wine. Oh, and the walls are fair game too, so feel free to have a whack at ’em.
Splat Paint House may only be a temporary project under The Creative Square Company for now, but if things work out and people enjoy the experience, they’ll put their plans for a permanent location into action.
FIND IT:
Splat Paint House is at Mox, #02-08 Katong Point, 451 Joo Chiat Rd, from now till end-Aug.
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