Meet Our Amazing Team!
“Great things in business are never done by one person; they are done by a team of people.” — Steve Jobs
Ask anyone what they love most about work and in most cases, the first thing they mention is 'the people'. We spend a massive portion of our life at work and with our teammates, so liking your colleagues is fairly important.
A great team can do great things.
BUT it's not just the co-workers that our staff has talked about enjoying so much... It's the environment AND the reward of getting to help others learn to love and create art, just as we do! We get to work in an art studio with energetic music and fantastic people who are always happy to walk through the doors and enjoy some wine as they paint, and it's just such a positive experience!
We are just so very thankful, for not only our customers who have been with us since the beginning, but our family here at Pinot's Palette! Having a team of creative artists who can also teach, take care of the studio, and work together to build on one another's creativity and success is amazing!
Throughout these past fews years, it's been especially important to have people that you work with (at a job that is looking out for you), because of everything that has happened with the Pandemic. From changing rules, to new tasks to perform in the studio, and even the adaptation of Virtual Classes into the mix, we have made it through the thick and thin of it, and for no other reason that our amazing team!
--*--*-- We Present To You: Our Amazing Team! --*--*--
*** KATEY LACROIX ***
The fabulous and talented Katey has been working with us for 4 and 1/2 years!
She has been teaching for a little over 5 years now.
She spent almost a year at a different paint and sip company in Louisville, KY before coming over to Pinot's Palette.
Katey has been married to her husband, David, for 7 years, and they are expecting their first child in June!
She also has two cats, Spaghetti and Jolene, who have gigantic personalities and make her and David laugh everyday.
"My husband is a musician and we love being able to create together. We’re currently trying to figure out how to live stream his music and my art together, which I’m very excited about. I do have a personal art business - Kathryn LaCroix Art - that I do a good bit of commission work through. I paint mostly family and pet portraits. I also do 'Live Wedding Paintings', and have thoroughly enjoyed getting to be a part of so many special memories the past couple of years.
Q. Katey, What is your favorite thing about working for Pinot's Palette?
A. "I have several favorite things about Pinot’s! First would have to be my coworkers. I’m incredibly grateful to work with so many wonderful artists. We can learn from each other and bounce ideas off one another. Being an artist can be isolating as you can be led to feel as though you should be in competition with other artists. Being able to form close relationships with artists in the area without that competitive element has been so special and uplifting. I also love the relationships I’ve built with our regulars. For me personally, the greatest success as an artist is to be able to pass on your knowledge and passion to those around you. Getting to do that on a daily basis is a dream."
Q. What Is your favorite thing about Pinot’s Palette, in general (as a paint & sip concept)?
A. "I partially answered this above, but really the best part is getting to introduce or re-introduce art to so many. Art can be incredibly intimidating. It’s something that a lot of people stop doing at a very young age. A lot of times we’re told that were either not creative enough or not talented enough to continue with it. I’ve heard so many stories from our customers about how they were told these things in KINDERGARTEN. They go on to tell me how nervous they were to try painting again because of these harsh words said to them at such a young age. There really is nothing quite like seeing these grown adults check back into this creative headspace that they had disconnected with. I’ve seen so many people even start finger painting during class as this stress filled shell they have starts to melt away. It’s honestly the most rewarding part of the job, as well as the best part of the concept of a paint and sip studio. Just being able to facilitate that break through that so many people need.”
Katey’s favorite artist is Michelangelo.
"I spent a good bit of time in Italy during college, studying Michelangelo and the Renaissance. He was an incredible painter, but plagued with so much fear and doubt. He was the easiest artist for me to connect with after reading many of his letters he had written during the time he was painting the Sistine ceiling. I think we often look at these master painters and think they were these confident and untouchable people, but they all dealt with the same insecurities and fears as artists today do. Michelangelo was also full of attitude. He filled his art with puns and rude depictions of people he didn’t like. Finding all of the artworks where he did this is so entertaining!"
**All About Michelangelo: https://www..../Michelangelo
Her favorite period of art is the Renaissance period. She work mostly in acrylic now, but loved to work with oils in college.
Katey loves the glazing techniques used during that period. She talked about enjoying the process of building up very thin layers of color until the desired vibrancy of your colors is finally reached. "It would create an incredible glow in the painting that can still be observed in paintings from that period today. It was my favorite technique to learn as well as my favorite to watch being created."
**Explore The Renaissance Period In Art: https://arti...aissance-art/
Katey says her favorite medium NOW would have to be acrylic or digital. She enjoys digital for doodling out ideas or funny cartoons she can share with friends. Acrylic is her main medium that she does my commissions in, and she's come to really really love the medium (as do we!). "Acrylic paint dries quickly and allows for tons of textures and layering, which is so fun to experiment with."
***You can find Katey's work on Instagram and Facebook (@kathrynlacroixart), as well as her website: kathrynlacroixart.com.
*** DOUG BENNETT ***
The fantastic and super talented, Doug, has been working at Pinot’s Palette for three years!
He’s been teaching for 20 years at this point, mostly university.
Doug's favorite thing about working at Pinot’s Palette is meeting new people and helping them feel good about themselves while tapping into their creative selves.
As far as his favorite thing about Pinot’s Palette as a studio/art-making experience is when customers who come in completely doubting themselves at the beginning of the class leave feeling confident and looking forward to the next class!
We couldn't agree more! It is a great feeling for sure.
Doug says that his favorite artist is his kids. :)
His favorite style of artwork to observe/learn about is painting, but has also been getting into 3-D art.
As for Doug’s favorite medium for his own art… He says it’s hard to say because it changes daily.
*** REAGAN HERNDON ***
Reagan has been working at Pinot’s Palette for almost 2 years, now.
Before teaching at Pinot’s, she worked at a Paint-Your-Own-Pottery Studio in Greenville,NC where she taught and assisted all ages in creating art on many types of pottery like plates, mugs, frames, etc. (*So overall, she has been teaching art for about 5 years.)
When asked what she loves most about working at Pinot’s Palette, Reagan said "I absolutely love helping the customers. My favorite part is when people come in, never having painted before, thinking there is no way they can do it, and by the end they are impressed and proud about what they accomplished. Knowing I helped with that, even just a little, makes my day. "
Reagan likes the concept of Pinot’s Palette’s paint and sip classes because she says that doing something for the first time, like painting, can be stressful.
"Pinot’s Palette turns this activity into something fun and relaxing. Yes, you are learning something, but not in a typical classroom type setting. Instead the experience encourages creativity and provides a space where people can come and enjoy their time together or unwind after a hard week. "
Q. Reagan, Who Is Your Favorite Artist?
A. "This question is so hard because there are so many great artists out there, and I am always discovering new works that I love. So recently I have been looking at the work of Ewa Pronczuk-Kuziak. Her paintings combine nature and fantasy and are both colorful and beautiful.”
"Another one of my favorite artists is Jason Limon. Though his work at first glance gives more of a somber feel, but when you look closer you see the humor and word play hiding in plain sight. His ability to depict text is also amazing which has always been a struggle for me."
** Follow Ewa Pronczuk-Kuziak on Instagram: https://www....kuziak/?hl=en
** More About Jason Limon: http://www.limon-art.com
Reagan has always been a fan of the 'Pop Art' movement because of the bold colors and it's use of imagery from culture, but she also enjoys the more expressionistic painting styles.
She’s a big fan of concept art for video games and movies, and she loves seeing how ideas develop and change to get the end result that we see.
When asked to talk about her own art, Reagan said "I love art in general, so there are many different mediums I enjoy working with. My favorite is by far painting but I also enjoy doing digital work as well as working with wood. However, the latter requires quite a bit more space than I have at the moment.”
***DOMINIQUE WEATHERSPOON ***
Dominique has been working at Pinot’s Palette since October 2021
She has been teaching 'Data Analytics' classes since 2019 and then began teaching art classes in 2020.
Dominique’s favorite thing about working at Pinot’s Palette is seeing all of the painters (our guests) put their own creative spin on Pinot's Palette's original designs!
When asked what her favorite thing about Pinot’s Palette is (*as a studio/experience//why is this concept so great?), Dominique said,
"I've always found wine-and-paint classes to be a great way to relax with friends and let your creative juices flow.”
Dominique’s favorite artist is Brionya James.
Her favorite style of art is painting, drawing, dancing, videography, & poetry
As for her own artwork, she enjoys acrylic on canvas, AND watercolor on paper.
**Learn More About Brionya James...
(Instagram): https://www....artist/?hl=en
(Shop): https://brionyajames.shop
*** KAITLIN UHLAND ***
We’ve had the pleasure of working with Kaitlin for the past 8 months.
Though you’d never know it from her excellence in teaching, this is her first experience as an artist instructor!
When asked what her favorite thing about working at Pinot’s Palette, Kaitlin said "I love getting to share my passion with others. I think it helps make me a better artist in lots of ways."
She said her favorite thing about Pinot’s Palette as a studio/experience is that it's great witnessing people letting loose and having fun while learning a possibly new skill. She loves that it breaks down the intimidation factor of making art and makes it accessible to anyone.
We couldn’t agree more!
When asked about her favorite artists, Kaitlin said, "Right now I'm obsessed with an Austin based artist named Lauren Briére; Her robots in rowboats paintings... I just can't get enough.”
** Follow Lauren on Instagram: https://www....wboats/?hl=en
** Check out these fabulous paintings: https://www....nrowboats.com
Kaitlin loves all kinds of art! Lately, she's been bouncing from pet portraits to geometric abstract landscape artwork.
As far as her own artwork goes, she uses acrylics mostly, but enjoys oil pastels, too. She also loves working with wood/woodburning.
*** ARI PAPPAS ***
A newcomer but instant connection with our team, Ari joined us in January.
Ari graduated from UNCG with a BFA.
Her last experience teaching was creating art projects for a batch of eighth graders a few years ago! She said they really enjoyed them and the way she introduced the projects!
Ari said her favorite thing about working at Pinot's Palette, is that there's a great sense of community during the classes, everyone's working towards the same goal!
As for Pinot’s Palette as a paint and sip studio that offers classes to those who have never painted, what she loves most about the concept is that It's a really laid-back atmosphere here that everybody enjoys and everyone leaves with something they're happy with!! She says the sense of camaraderie among the staff is definitely a bonus, though!
Ari is a big fan of Vittorio Reggianini and of Zdzislaw Beksinski’s artwork!
** Learn more about and ses artwork by Vittorio Reggianini:
https://www....io.Reggianini
** All About Zdzislaw Beksinski:
https://en.w...ław_Beksiński
When it comes to the type of artwork Ari likes to observe and learn about, she really enjoys digital painting and 2D animation, but physical painting holds a special place in her heart.
As for creating her own work, acrylics are her favorite medium, working with it as often as she works with digital!
Fun Fact About Ari: She plays Dungeons and Dragons in her free time, and does miniature painting as a hobby!
*** DANELLE KRAFT ***
Danelle has been a part of our team for the past two months, and we’re so glad to have her!
Before Pinot’s Palette, she taught swim lessons for about two years, working with children of ages 8 months to 16 years, as well as some adult classes.
She then taught art classes at 'The Paramount' for about three years, teaching children ages 6-8 as well as adult classes.
Q. Danelle, What Do You Enjoy Most About Working At Pinot’s?
A. "I really like the atmosphere at Pinot’s. The coworkers are all very nice and enjoyable to work with. It is easy to make connections and joke around with guests as they paint and have a good time. I know that I will have fun every time I go to work. I also enjoy learning how to paint new things. While I have a bachelors in art, I still find myself learning new things and being inspired every time I work a class.”
Q. What Do You Like About Pinot’s Palette As A Place For People To Come and Create Art?
A. "With the music, relaxed painting and drinks, I love seeing people be able to enjoy their time without worrying about results. It’s not about who makes the best painting, it’s an inviting place where you can experiment and make your own thing."
Danelle says she doesn’t currently have any favorite artists…
“Like music, I will become attached to one painting an artist makes, most of my favorite art is made by different artists.”
She loves to watch ceramics and drawing.
"It’s fascinating to watch the effortlessness of a potter or the blending of pencils on paper to create such deep and rich colors."
As for her own work, she specializes in acrylics and ceramics.
"It’s hard sometimes to find time and places to make pottery so I mostly paint acrylics or watercolor. I am currently working on a set of female figure paintings, I love the human form and am following studies of female figure to perfect my craft and show the beauty in underrepresented body types.”
Fun Fact: Danelle is getting married to her partner, Malachi, this Spring! The couple have a five year old Chihuahua/Greyhound mix that they adore.
Danelle and Malachi moved to North Carolina from Minnesota at the beginning of February, so she’s very new to the area!
She says, "We both love it here and we are excited to see where our lives take us!” :)
*** JESSICA CAPES ***
One of our new-comers, the fabulous Jessica has been working at the studio for about a month! It’s been a pleasure getting to know her and have her as a part of our team.
Jessica is a college student who will be graduating at the end of this year with an Environmental Science degree! She has two cats and can play guitar and piano after having been self-taught. Impressive!!!
When asked about her teaching experience, Jessica said, "In general I have been teaching for about 2 years. In past jobs I have had a variety of experiences in teaching, from training employees, to leading volunteers and creating a learning experience for them, to working with children. At every turn, teaching has been an extremely rewarding experience.”
Jessica says her favorite thing about working at Pinot’s is the music and the calm atmosphere.
"Everyone who enters the door just wants to have a fun time and take part in the truly therapeutic experience of painting. We often play 80s hits or otherwise enjoyable music, and it definitely adds to the lighthearted feel of the place."
We asked everyone else who works here, what do they like most about Pinot’s Palette as a creative experience in general.
Jessica said that "The concept of Pinot's palette is so great because there is a huge drive to make customers feel welcome and accomplished. The steps of each painting are both easy to understand and impressive once completed. It's extremely customer friendly."
Jessica’s favorite artist is Claude Monet and her favorite style of art to create AND to observe is Impressionism. She loves the concept of creating a full realistic image and being able to do so simply by focusing on the gestures and colors of a scene without slaving over the details. "Less is more." Jessica said of the style.
As far as her own art goes, Jessica has dabbled a little bit in most mainstream mediums. Acrylic painting definitely holds a special place in her heart, but a close runner up would also be watercolors or alcohol markers. If we were to discuss non-tangible art, she also highly enjoys digital animation.