Zach Perrier, Contributing Writer
As Springfest planning looms over the second semester, Wooster Activities Crew (WAC) might feel like its hands are full, but before the organization turns the residential quad into a music venue, WAC finds itself running smaller events. This includes Paint Night Date Night, which was hosted in the Underground (UG) last Friday, Feb. 10.
Paint Night Date Night coupled the standard fare of the UG with a guided painting session and encouraged couples, and really anybody, to come on down and enjoy making art. WAC advisor Sarah Toby led the event, guiding the painters while they enjoyed the beverages that the UG had to offer. Toby, who graduated as an art education major, felt right at home giving helpful tips on painting and emphasized that the night was for every skill level. In her words, “If you know basic shapes, if you know colors, you can create something that’s going to look good, whether you think you have artistic talent or not.”
Evelyn McCain ’25 was also overseeing the event. McCain, a studio art major, worked with Toby to look over numerous painting ideas before settling on a final design. McCain points out the demand for weekend events like Paint Night Date Night, especially for those who are looking for a more relaxing environment on the weekends in contrast to the party atmosphere usually seen at the end of the week.
To keep the subject simple, Toby taught the basics of painting a western sunset scene complete with mesas and cacti. Although Toby guided the painting, some participants took creative liberties. Cowboy hats on cacti, rainstorms and cooler color palettes were some of the tweaks made to the original guide painting. Zoë Semersky ’23 and Judith Topham ’23 spiced up their works of art as well. Semersky painted a penguin into the western vista, adding a humorous twist. Topham took a similar tongue-in-cheek route. “I’m a geology major,” Topham said, “so I was trying to make [my painting] geologically accurate,” with an emphasis on rocks filling up the frame. Both seniors took interest in attending due to the much-needed reprieve from working on I.S. Semersky also noted, “I’ve been going to the Underground a little more recently than I have been in the last few years, especially due to COVID. So, I’m finding that it’s a pretty nice, chill place to hang out. So I knew that any event they would put on would be good.” Topham replied, “That’s a newspaper-worthy answer!”
Semersky, Topham and others attended in time for Valentine’s Day, either working side-by-side on separate easels or swapping places on one picture. Some were painting gifts for significant others. Some were there to simply relax after a stressful week of the semester; slap some paint on a canvas and just have a good time. Coloring books were also available to those who just needed a creative outlet without the stress of putting themselves in front of a canvas.
With the second semester becoming a whirlwind of commitment and workloads, last Friday in the UG felt like an oasis in a desert of homework and page number deadlines. So, be on the lookout for any other paint nights offered by WAC, even if you do not think you can paint. Toby was at least certain that anyone could pick up a brush: “And if you hate it, you can paint over it!”
Looking for more events like Paint Night? WAC is also hosting Acoustic Cozy Café on March 3 and Acapella Riff Off on March 7. Both events will be in the commons room on the second floor of Lowry.
The Wooster Voice 