Find Your Inner Artist in Wayne

Walking through Wayne, you may suddenly find yourself engulfed in the roaring waves crashing over William Trost Richard’s rocky shores, climbing through the forest of Paul Cézanne’s oil painting, or transported to Claude Monet’s mystique image of water lilies with the famous dusty blue bridge stretching side to side. Throughout the summer and fall of this year, the Philadelphia Museum of Art released some of its paintings to surrounding towns for their “Inside Out” exhibit. Wayne has several opportunities for aspiring artists, from roaming the streets looking at paintings to walking into a studio in search of a fun project to release the creative muse.

Every artist’s dream is finally a reality, as these paintings have been scattered across towns with a treasure map of every single piece of artwork. The maps of each location can be found online at philamuseum.org, complete with a list of each piece of artwork and a numbered map corresponding to a number given to the painting. What better way to look at world-renowned artists’ masterpieces than in the natural sunlight while waltzing down the street or going for a run? In the summer months, the paintings were featured in Media, Newtown, and Chestnut Hill. Currently, the work is being displayed in Fishtown, Ambler, Norristown, Wayne, and West Chester until mid-November.

Each of the five neighborhoods has approximately 10 pieces featured. Among Wayne’s masterpieces are Jacob Lawrence’s “The Libraries Are Appreciated,” Claude Monet’s “The Japanese Footbridge and the Water Lily Pool, Giverny,” and Paul Cézanne’s “Mont Sainte-Victoire.” The paintings are mostly concentrated around North Wayne Avenue, with two paintings (Sarah Mary Taylor’s “Hands,” and Grant Wood’s “Plowing”) slightly further away on Highland Avenue and Runnymede Avenue.

While wandering through Wayne, gazing at the historic landscapes and portraits, maybe you’ll be inspired to create something of your own at “Color Me Mine” or “Painting With A Twist.”

Every Monday, “Color Me Mine” offers students half off the price of the studio fee with a valid ID. Tuesdays, they hold “Two for Tuesday,” where free studio time is granted for the second painter of equal or lesser value. Looking for a ladies’ night out? On Thurs., Nov. 12, the studio fee is only $5 for women from 5 to 8 p.m., compared to their usual $9 fee. For more information, visit their website (wayne.colormemine.com).

“Painting with a Twist” can be pretty pricey –an event costs $35 — but it’s hard to resist the kaleidoscope of colors bursting out of the windows of the decorative building. At this venue, students are led through a “color-by-number” paint session, accompanied by a glass of wine (or BYO latte if you’re under 21.) Currently featured in their window is everything from a Doctor Who-styled painting to beautiful fall trees illuminating canvases.The full calendar and paint schedule can be viewed online (www.paintingwithatwist.com/wayne/calendar).

Whether you’re trying to unleash your inner creative genius by painting pottery, spending an evening painting with friends, or winning a second date through art history knowledge, Wayne is overflowing with opportunities.

Sources: waynebusiness.com, philamuseum.org