Painting with a Twist Offers New Fun in Ferndale

Those looking for a new experience need to check out Painting With a Twist in Ferndale. Open since September, the off-the-beaten-track business offers the chance to create an original painting for a mere $35 in an activity that's unequaled in experience.

Owner Michelle Lewis compares the operations to "art and entertainment combined" and says she has been warmly welcomed by the surrounding community since she began.

"People just walking by stop in to say hello and thank me for being part of the business community," she said. At 320 W. Nine Mile, she owns one of the PWAT franchises, and this location is the first of its kind in the entire Midwest.

There are also assorted southern locations, and many debuted last fall.

Lewis first learned of the idea when she attended a painting class in New Orleans and thought it would be a great idea to establish one in Michigan. As part of the Corks N Canvas, LLC company begun in 2007 in Mandeville, La., by Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney, the enterprise has been growing in leaps and bounds ever since.

The company owns more than 800 copyrighted works of art and shares the wealth of talent and hands-on creativity now with many.

Lewis, a Detroit resident, has not regretted her decision to join the enterprise and is enjoying her journey, which she equates as a social tool, too.

The art experience invites about 20 class attendees - 15 and older - to book a class online by choosing a two-hour interval that is focused on a specific painting, such as Van Gogh's "Starry Night" or another theme. Scheduled classes, which can also include three-hour events for $45 - are listed on the website, with new offerings posted on the 15th of each month.

Some classes are geared toward families and can accommodate children under 15, while others are for seniors, offering a lower fee of $25 per class. Attendees are invited to bring their own beverages, even wine, and snacks if desired. Aspiring artists can also book private parties to mark special events - or just have fun.

Local artists work with each group, instructing them how to recreate the paintings step by step. At the end of each session, everyone gets to take home a 16x20 canvas.

For more information, go to http://www.paintingwithatwist.com/ or call 248-850-7182.