Things to Do in Taylor

PaintMe Pottery Studio hosts pottery classes, deals in original creations, and takes orders for custom clayware. Many studios let guests paint prefabricated items, but the staff at PaintMe provide clay and instruction for customers to create their own pieces. They then assist in firing the original artworks in a kiln, before returning them to their creators for painting.

After 22 years in the air force, Water 2 Wine–founder John McFadden established his first custom winery in San Antonio seven years ago. Already the business has spread as far as Milwaukee to the north and Denver to the west, bringing the country's vinophiles more than 100 wines, each of which are fermented on site and available for tastings every day. Those who want to get more involved in the crafting process may sign up to make their own wine and steep themselves in each step of the operation, from selecting the grape varieties, beginning the fermentation process, withstanding a wait of about 45 days, and finally christening their creation by smashing a tiny boat against the bottle. All custom-made wines are plastered with personalized labels made from one of Water 2 Wine’s templates or images that customers design from the ground up.

A public extension of The Griffin School, an arts-focused college-prep high school, Studio Griffin immerses students of all ages in multidisciplinary-arts education and art-based events. Expansive studios filled with easels and stacks of storage boxes host classes of children, teenagers, and working adults as they hone skills in painting, sculpting, and tricking still lifes into moving. Art camps instill basic skills in adolescents and teens during a three-week intensive course. The studio also hosts communal Art+Wine Nights, where guests fashion paintings inspired by a historic or famous piece of art and lubricate their creative chops with wine and other libations.