By Lindsey Rowland
lrowland@wbcowqel.com
Accessibility to the arts is of the utmost importance to a thriving community, and Sandy Laipply doesn’t plan on letting Crawford County do without.
Laipply is an artist who has called Bucyrus home since she was 12 years old and, after running her own retail shop for 18 years, decided to pursue art full-time, with her main passion being watercolors. From there, she has licensed her art to various companies for their products, published many pieces in women’s magazines, worked in television, gotten involved with the Bucyrus Arts Council, and began to teach classes and private lessons.
Among these lessons is the social painting event Laipply has titled Watercolors and Wine, during which anyone, with or without artistic talent, can come and enjoy both friendship and creation. The idea came from Laipply’s participation in a similar event with her daughter.
After enjoying their time, it seemed only natural to bring it back to Bucyrus. From there, Sandy approached Natalie Norman of Norman’s Niche in search of a place to hold Watercolors and Wine. Norman was open to the idea, the two collaborated, and it all began last September.
Classes were held about once a week on the first and third Mondays of each month and featured a free glass of wine and instruction in a painting that each person got to take home with them. In the year since the classes have been taking place, with all advertising being done through Facebook and word of mouth, more than 300 students have participated in Watercolors and Wine, with many coming back multiple times.
Succinctly, Laipply says, “It’s an opportunity to get together with friends, and have a fun evening, and learn something, and have a painting that you like when you’re finished.”
Because Laipply has been recovering from a recent surgery, the classes have been put on pause, but starting this month, Watercolors and Wine will be back in full swing. The return will take place on July 16 in a new location in New Washington, an antique store called Buckeyes and Bluegrass.
In addition to Norman’s Niche, Laipply will also be teaching at the Guild in Marion, at private parties of eight or more, and at a fundraiser for Debbie’s Footsteps, an Alzheimer’s Awareness organization, to be held at Signature Health in Galion on Aug. 11. At events not held at Norman’s Niche, everyone should bring their own wine or beverage of choice.
The pictures to be painted vary from meeting to meeting, ranging from cats to flowers and everything in between, and all supplies are provided.
“A lot of people have always thought they’d like to try painting,” Laipply said, “But you just show up…I’m there to walk you through it, and everybody goes home with a painting that they’re proud of.”
Those interested in signing up for an upcoming class can visit www.sandylaipply.com/watercolors-wines or www.sandylaipply.com, or find Sandy Laipply Art on Facebook.