artventureUs, Gaithersburg

It's easy to think of artists as solitary people locked away in their studios—Mark Rothko withdrawing to obsess over the interplay between his blockish swaths of color or Jackson Pollock dangling a dripping brush over a canvas on the floor of an empty room. This is the exact opposite experience Michele Foshee wants people to have at artventureUs! An accomplished designer with clients including National Geographic and the White House, Michele sees painting as an engaging social experience where friends and complete strangers can share an adventure as they paint both original pieces and re-creations of famous works, such as Gustav Klimt's The Kiss.

Some classes include wine, and students don’t need experience, since Michele and her instructors take a step-by-step approach to teaching the basics of working with acrylic paints. They also furnish participants with every supply they'll need from a closet full of aprons, canvases, Greek muses, and paintbrushes. In addition to leading public classes, the team at artventureUs! organizes private painting parties.