Picture, if you will, a door that seems hinged to the stone around it, almost like it is a part of it. From just standing on the first step, looking at the way the cavern opens below you into what could easily be a wine cellar in another time, you can already hear the beat and rhythm of whatever music the pleasant bar staff are listening to that evening. Sometimes they’re playing 80s glam rock and 90s punk, sometimes there’s a live band in residence, crooning away to patrons. Most of the time, this bar has a handful of patrons enjoying the vast selection of beers and amazingly prepared and presented food.
On the 17th of January, this bar was the host to the first ever Draw and Drink organized by Outdoor Artists in collaboration with Of Scripted Shadows. Always a supporter of the arts, the bar was more than happy to accommodate twenty or so artists who sat down near the bar area with pencil, charcoal, paper, coloured pencils, and what-have-you to sketch for two hours and enjoy each other’s company.
The concept is simple – pay a few euro to get unlimited use of resources provided by the organizers, and of course a free drink is thrown into the mix. Sit down at a table with other artists of all experience levels and styles, and grab a prompt handed to you by the organizers. Prompts range from movie and book titles to simple words such as ‘sandwich’ or ‘calm’. Some of the prompts were a bit more imaginative, such the one asking for a drawing of a knight in shining armour doing something cowardly, or a new version of Spiderman (a spider who acts like a man). All of the prompts were thought provoking in some way, asking participants to draw on the spot mini-masterpieces in a matter of minutes, and then do it again with a different prompt.
The event was a wonderful success, with artists mingling and getting to know other artists, and even drawing things they may have never thought to draw before. The bar atmosphere was absolutely splendid, with a chill vibe and minimal distractions, and the organizers of the event – if I do say so myself – did a good job of making sure everything was laid out clearly for the participants. And one lucky participant who booked through Eventbrite got to walk away with a basket of art supplies won in a raffle!