Parties with a Purpose

Even before COVID struck our world, there was a new trend in social gatherings: parties that celebrated a certain creative interest and brought together folks who might never have met otherwise.  

My sister introduced me to this new method several years ago when a blogger she followed was invited to share her craft at (now Mississippi State Representative) Jill Ford’s house.  Jill opened up her beautiful home to a pre-set number of people, some of them total strangers, time and again, bringing in creative experts to lead workshops and thereby connecting people to her and to others in the process.  

My sis and I attended Jill’s open house in which Beth Dean, my favorite local artist, taught class participants how to use watercolors to capture memories in travel sketch books.  That workshop changed the trajectory of my life, as it offered me the opportunity to meet Beth and then study oil painting under her tutelage.  

Another dear friend, Susan, recently hosted a flower arranging party so that the ladies of mine and Susan’s husbands’ workplace could get to know each other.  Highlighting a common interest as the focal point of the gathering erased the awkwardness of the traditional meet and greet!

At the beginning of the summer, a friend from church asked me to host a paint party. I immediately thought of Jill Ford’s endeavors and how the experience helped me.  Several ladies from church had expressed an interest in painting, so my friend reached out to them. 

I didn’t have a pre-set plan for what we would paint, but I did have plenty of supplies!  I have a pretty big collection of acrylic paint that I no longer use now that I’m an oil paint addict.  I purchased six small easels, as well as a package of 9×12 canvases from Michaels and a variety pack of brushes.  I covered the table with a cheap plastic tablecloth, and the kitchen island with butcher paper.  I had study options like bowls of fruit, a small of vase of flowers, etc., but everyone ended up choosing their own thing to paint.

After an hour of painting and getting to know each other, we took a break to eat hubby’s fantastic fajitas and then finished up our work.  We discovered that each of us have other creative outlets that we’d all like to explore: The next time we get together to paint, Alphie will bring her Bible journal for us to see; Christy will show us how to use a Silhouette machine; and I will have a specific thing that we’d all attempt to paint!

All in all, our small party was a sweet success.  We’ve agreed to make it a monthly event, and I’ve started a Sign-Up Genius account so that I can be prepared to have a certain number of participants.  In time, I may also charge to a small fee to offset supplies and keep participants committed to coming, as well as a potluck sign up.  We’ll see! 

Hopefully, I’ll be just as successful as Jill and Susan in creating an event that has long-term success in uniting individuals with a shared common interest!