Paint your heart out this Valentine’s Day at Painting with a Twist

At Painting with a Twist in Southdowns, Valentine’s Day isn’t a subtle celebration. It’s loud, colorful and smells strongly of acrylic paint.

On a Thursday evening, a week before Valentine’s Day, the studio is lively with guests and their coolers—yes, coolers— of wine as they slowly slip into stained aprons and take their seats in front of blank canvases.

With Valentine’s week approaching, the BYOB studio is leaning all the way in. It’s hosting a lineup of themed events from couples classes with joint canvases to singles nights. Tonight’s event is a paint and sing karaoke party. Soft music plays as guests trickle in and conversations flow. Most attendees are women, including a larger group celebrating an early Galentine’s outing, along with a few couples enjoying a date night.

Onyx Stuart, an LSU sophomore and art student, takes center stage as she introduces herself as the instructor for the evening and gets started with the first few paint strokes, everyone else following along. Stuart said she’s been an artist since childhood but an instructor at Painting with a Twist since December of 2025.

“If you have a good time, I have a good time,” Stuart said about her teaching style. The art doesn’t need to be perfect in a setting like this.

While it’s a loud, energetic environment, she said that painting relaxes her. She finds comfort in its repetition and that it’s soothing for her. Between steps, she pauses to check on guests, offering subtle suggestions and enthusiastic praise.

Other instructors float around the room, making sure everything runs smoothly. Savannah Shirley, who just started a few days prior, is preparing for her first class that weekend. Although she said she’s confident with her artistic abilities, leading a class is still nerve racking.

“I’m an entertainer first, artist second,” Shirley said.

Shirley said each group is unique — some start out awkward and loosen up as the painting progresses, others are excited from the get-go. You never know what type of group you’ll get, but the unpredictability is part of the fun.

Stuart is lively as she interacts with the group, making jokes and complimenting their work. However, there’s more focus on what’s happening at the front of the room as karaoke starts up. One woman leaves her chair while her friends clap and yell to sing “It’s Raining Men” — no lyrics in sight to guide her. She knew every word.

The cheers and shouts of song suggestions fill the room, the “twist” evidently making its way through the systems of the guests.

As the night progresses, an image of a glass jar filled with pink hydrangeas fills everyone’s canvases — each similar, yet all uniquely their own. Some are fluffy and clear, others are more abstract.

By the time the final brush strokes are complete, the energy in the studio shifts into a buzz of excitement as guests take pictures in front of the photo wall and compliment each other’s work. The stranger that sat next to them at the beginning, now their friend.

So, if you think dinner dates are overrated and prefer a hands-on experience, this is the perfect plan to celebrate the love in your life. With Valentine’s Day-themed classes all throughout February, including six on Feb. 14, you’ll leave with a keepsake for your home that you can brag about all year long.