By KYLE ARNOLD World Staff Writer 

Published: 12/28/2011

  

For those who may want to mix some Merlot with Monet or Pinot Grigio with Picasso, a franchise moving into Tulsa can help them celebrate their love of art and alcohol. Texas-based "paint and sip" concept Pinot's Palette is preparing for a March opening on Cherry Street, pairing artful wine tasting with social painting. 

Pinot's Palette is a simple pairing of beginner art sessions with wine tasting, accomplished at two- to three-hour classes nightly and on weekends. 

"We provide the easel, the canvas, the paint and the wine," said owner Lisa Riley. "It's an entertainment genre that is really spreading across the country." 

Pinot's Palette will be located at 1621 E. 15th St., between Mongolian restaurant Genghis Grill and women's apparel retailer Rope. The 1,800-square-foot space has direct access to a parking lot behind the building. 

Pinot's Palette got its start in Houston in 2009 as a small art studio that allowed customers to bring their own alcohol and food while enjoying amateur art instruction. 

Read More...

Check the Pinot's Palette - Cherry Street calendar online

Pinot’s Palette, BYOB art studio, to open in Hillside Village

By Rachel Stone on October 12th, 2011 

 

 

 

CultureMap's "Painting in the Park" adventure brings out young professionals' colorfully wild side

Pinot and Paint. What else does a creative mind need? Not Much! We interviewed Craig Ceccanti, CEO and Charles Willis, President of Pinot’s Palette about what makes their unique company so successful.

MO.com; 10/11/11

MO: Awesome idea! Tell us about the initial concept for Pinot’s Palette, and how you made this idea into a reality?

Craig: The symbiotic combination of wine and painting has been embraced for ages. Like many “good” ideas, our challenge was to craft a real commercial viability out of the pairing. Pinot’s Palette did not materialize overnight. There was a lot of research, planning, re-planning, and hard work that went into growing it into the franchise system it is today. We are very passionate about breathing life into this idea and making it a reality across the country via franchising.

Charles: I think we’ve made believers out of some naysayers we encountered when we were first starting out. We were able to take on the challenge of a declining economy head on and bring in employment for local artists while building a thriving business. Our team is really great at turning challenges into opportunities and we like to dream big!

MO: Many people advise NOT to go into business with your best friend. Why do you believe it has worked for you two?

Craig: Charles and I are both ambitious and hard working. We work in the same direction. Working in different directions would be much like...

Vote for Pinot's Palette on MO.com and read more here!

Inaugural Pink Ribbon Parade sculptures revealed; set to embark on journey to raise awareness

BY WHITNEY RADLEY
09.13.11 | 02:20 pm
The scene outside of City Hall on Tuesday morning was literally and figuratively rosy.

Artists, sponsors, breast cancer survivors and beneficiaries gathered at the Reflection Pool for the kickoff of the inaugural Pink Ribbon Parade, sponsored by the Breast Health Collaborative of Texas. It was an opportunity for involved parties, government representatives, the media and the public to see the fruits of their labor for the first time: More than a dozen painted ribbon sculptures that will parade across Texas to raise awareness for breast health.

Each 7-foot-tall ribbon serves a dual purpose for breast cancer awareness and fundraising. Artists and sponsors collaborated to embellish their sculptures, and at the event, the Breast Health Collaborative presented each team with a portion of a $38,000 check — which the teams, in turn, donated to a chosen recipient.

One ribbon was sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center's IBC Research Program and Clinic; another by Pinot's Palette; another by young artists Isabella and Hailey, who along with their art teacher, Ms. Betsy, painted a sculpture entitled "Butterfly Kisses" in honor of Isabella's mother, Amy, a breast cancer survivor. Other artists included local talents Kermit Eisenhut and Hahn Tran.

"This project symbolizes the great collaborative spirit in Houston and throughout Texas," said Lyn Widlaski, the collaborative's executive director.

The ribbons will travel next to Tour de Pink at Prairie View A&M, then to the Susan G. Komen Houston Race for the Cure, and finally to the 7th Annual Breast Health Summit. At each location, the ribbons will serve as reminders of and testaments to the strength of breast cancer victims.

State Representative Sarah Davis, Mayor Annise Parker and City Council Members Ed Gonzalez, Al Hoang, Melissa Noriega, Oliver Pennington and Brenda Stardig were among the crowd.

"Let's all join together for a healthier Houston," said Parker, "and let's all join together to fight breast cancer."

Pinot’s Palette offers a night for friends to get together and create their own masterpieces. “All they have to do is bring the food and the wine and we supply the rest,” said Alan Barnard, owner of Pinot’s Palette in Katy. The art studio is the third in the Houston area and the first franchise location. Barnard said it’s been a dream of his and his wife, Kerrie, to start a business together. After learning about Pinot’s Palette from some of their friends, the couple thought it sounded like something the area would enjoy and decided to contact the owners.

"We're introducing a place where you become the artist and the experience leaves everyone with a lasting..."

"Great Day Houston gives a special date night to a deserving couple and long time fan of the show. Debra Dunkin interviews the couple on their trials and tribulations with the gift of a date night at Pinot's Palette. The couple gets a mini taste of Pinot's Palette along with a gift basket to enjoy the full experience another day..."

TLC's The Little Couple filmed and aired an episode called 'There's an Art To It' highlighting Pinot's Palette as their 2 year anniversary date. The couple had a blast as they painted "Sunset on the Wharf" during a Sunday brunch Private Party. Bill and Jen were fantastic and had some real talent...

"It's Cool to... find your inner Picasso as told to 002houston’s budding artist. How many of you have thought at one point or another in your life that you’d like to learn to paint? Well, we’re teaching you how…OK, artist Amy Elizabeth Wright is. She’ll explain how they do it at Pinot & Picasso. Bring your own wine (or whatever you want to drink and eat). Have fun painting along with your friends and a local artist who leads you step-by-step. Make it your own and leave with your masterpiece. Check out her portrait of 002’s Picasso in the finished result..."

"I don't paint. I can't draw. In the first grade, my teacher, a prickly, irritable woman, scolded me for coloring outside the lines, which, in hindsight, may explain why art has always intimidated me. But as an adult with the help of some good grapes, i can be coaxed into dabbling with the brushes and paint. Wine and art go together and they have for a very long time, said Charles Willis, co-owner of Pinot's Palette, a new establishment in Montrose that hosts painting classes. Actually, they're really more like parties than classes. Attendees are invited to bring wine and hor d'oeuvres..."

"There is a great new opportunity to experience the world of art through painting in Houston. At Pinot & Picasso, located at 2406 Taft St., guests can spend a pleasant evening creating their own acrylic painting. A different painting experience is offered every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. A monthly calendar featuring the paintings to be completed each night is available at their website. An artist will lead the guests in a step-bystep fashion through the entire process, from how to hold the brushes to how to apply the paint. By evenings end, each participant will have their own completed masterpiece to take home. For both those who have dabbled a bit with art and those who have never even contemplated the idea of trying, this is a fun and stress-free affair. Acrylic paint is fast drying so mistakes are easily corrected. Supplies are provided, including a canvas, all necessary paint, and the use of brushes, easel and an apron..."

"New on Taft is Pinot's Palette, an art painting class with a bring-your-own-wine twist. The class is geared toward beginners but accomplished artists will learn new techniques, too. Of course, the farther down the level of wine goes in the bottle, the less you care about how the paint looks on the canvas. Hey Picasso himself didn't worry about staying withing the lines! 'It's really more of a night out with friends, than actual painting lessons,' says Craig Ceccanti..."