Glow art soirée turns Coco Beach into a creative haven for art lovers

Last Saturday, Coco Beach transformed into a vibrant canvas as Smirnoff orchestrated a glow art soirée, enticing folks from all corners to unleash their inner Picasso. It was all about letting loose, getting messy, and rediscovering our long-lost childhood art skills.

Held at Bravo Coco Beach in Dar es Salaam, the paint-and-sip event provided a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for city revellers to showcase their artistic talents.

Upon arrival, a motley crew of art enthusiasts, dabblers, and outright rookies like myself were welcomed with all the necessary painting supplies, including canvases, brushes, paint, and a bottle of Smirnoff.

Now, let me be honest. My attempt at creating a masterpiece was nothing short of comical. Picture a mix between a toddler's hand painting and American painter Jackson Pollock's experiment gone wrong.

My colleagues didn't hold back their playful jabs, comparing my abstract mess to everything from modern art genius to a spilled smoothie.

But the laughter didn't stop there; The Citizen Managing Editor, Mpoki Thompson, bless his heart, decided to grace us with his artistic prowess. Let's just say his interpretation of a forest looked more like a celery stalk on steroids.

The sight of us gathered around, pretending to decipher his avant-garde vision, was a spectacle in itself—cue the chuckles and friendship.

Fun aside, the event also offered a rare chance to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily life and embrace the therapeutic nature of art.

This is why marketing expert Ida Winfried attended the event. She wanted to disconnect from reality so that she could be able to find her zone and practice calmness.

A Spanish artist, Sabela Garcia, shared that painting is like therapy for her.

“Through painting, many people can express what they can’t express with words, but you can put your feelings into colour, which is an easy way to express what is inside you without any need to talk about it,” she explained.

Sabela further elaborated that people should not overthink when it comes to sketching and painting.

“Many people, I think, spend too much time sketching and thinking about what they want to paint, and they judge themselves a lot when they don’t get the result they want. Many times people hide their paintings because they’re not good, so I just want to tell them to just do it, have fun, and you will be surprised at how many people find it cooler than you even think it is,” she explained.

Marketer and influencer Perryn Peter, also among the attendees, emphasised the joy of expressing art through painting.

“It’s fun; it’s a moment of experience and enjoying each other through painting,” she shared.

While wandering among the canvases, I bumped into the CEO of Utulivuspace, Ibrahim Rwegerera, an old artist who hadn’t painted in 16 years.

“I stopped painting because my mom sold all of my stuff. She gave away my paints, and so I gave up almost 20 years ago. Today feels like a redemption story, I guess,” he explained.

He advises parents not to discourage their children from pursuing their dreams.

“I think parents should not stop children from pursuing what they love. This is what I love to do, and for some reason, I gave up. Children shouldn’t give up on what they are given by God,” he shared.

Festo Justin, who is also an artist, shared that art is about expressing what you feel needs to be expressed.

“Art is the space where we learn how to communicate the language that most of us fail to communicate. I feel it’s a safe space where anyone can share what they think and desire,” he explained.

As the day wore on and our masterpieces dried, Coco Beach transformed into an open-air gallery of unabashed creativity.

Each painting told a unique story, from heartfelt expressions of love to bold statements of artistic rebellion.

When the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky shifted hues, the organisers handed out neon paints to add a vibrant touch to our art.

The dim glow of the lights set the perfect ambiance, making the experience feel like a weight lifted from my heart. Just as Sabela, the Spanish artist, said, painting truly is a form of therapy.

In the end, it wasn't just about painting—it was about letting go, embracing imperfection, and connecting with fellow adventurers on this messy journey called art.

Smirnoff's paint and colouring extravaganza proved that art isn't just for the experts; it's for anyone with a brush, a sense of humour, and a willingness to dive headfirst into a palette of possibilities.