Canvas n Cup Thriving with Dedication & Creativity

It goes without saying that these past few months have been tough across the globe for everyone young and old. COVID-19 has affected nearly every area of our lives in one way or another.

Many businesses big and small – including Canvas n Cup – have learned to adapt in order to survive these challenging global circumstances. We’ve always been an in-person operation, so this has required creativity and flexibility. When things shut down and Zoom became everyone’s prime mode of communication, we decided to give it a try too, which proved to be an interesting endeavor indeed for our kind of business!

So how exactly did our Paint and Sip studio pivot to meet client needs during the global pandemic?

Creating Free Resources for our Clients Stuck at Home

Indeed, throughout this challenging time, Canvas n Cup has learned and grown a lot, having found new and creative ways to connect with our customers. Worldwide, the art industry is using technology on an ever-increasing basis to reach new audiences and deepen existing audience relationships. And Canvas n Cup is no exception – we’ve discovered the same benefits since introducing these elements into our business.

Our increased social media presence means that more people can find us, and those who already know of us are updated on our latest ventures.

We also began offering free online classes, complete with an instructor teaching a live audience through step-by-step instruction. Making these videos free allowed people to have a fun activity in a time of isolation, while not overwhelming anyone in a financially unstable period. The classes were recorded and made available on our website for those unable to attend live, allowing them to participate later at their leisure. To supplement, we also offered painting kits which included everything customers would need to paint along at home. These kits could be shipped to homes or picked up from our store, making it easy for those without art supplies or the correct materials to follow our tutorials. This way, our customers could fully relax and enjoy the lesson without worrying about having proper supplies. These videos are still available for free on our website and are an easy and fun activity for all ages!

Adding Online Painting Classes for Children, Families & Adults, and Companies

We also started Zoom classes and online parties which celebrated a range of occasions and spanned all age groups. At a time when in-person gathering was nearly impossible, “gathering” with friends and family online brought a lot of joy and comfort. Despite global pandemics, birthdays still roll around, people get engaged, they retire, and so on, and connecting with loved ones is still critical. Through it all our online classes gave people a way to celebrate and continue connecting with friends, family, and other important people.

Not only were friends and family looking to connect during this time, but companies were also searching for team building opportunities. Places of business were not able to meet together in person, strong team relationships are essential to keep a company healthy and cohesive. Companies from all over the U.S booked online events with us, reaching up to 250 people at one time. Our virtual painting classes gave employers an opportunity to give their workers a fun way to engage with each other in a time where it was only possible to do so through a screen.

Providing a Creative Outlet for Self-Expression When Most Needed

At a time when everyone was stuck at home and in need of an escape, our virtual art classes provided many people with an outlet for artistic expression. Crises and other difficult circumstances bring out a need for engaging our right brain. Activities like drawing, painting, music appreciation, and more can help relieve the feeling of isolation immensely. When we just can’t quite get our heads around what’s happening in the world, creative outlets are important for self-expression and overall well-being. Just when people were in need of these outlets, Canvas n Cup was here to help. Children who couldn’t hang out with their friends at school or on the playground – or even right next door for that matter – were given something fun to do… and meanwhile, parents were given a bit of a break as well. 

Creating an Environment where Our Instructors and Clients Learn Together

Though the classes and parties have certainly been successful, adjusting to teaching online definitely came with its challenges. It’s an understatement to say that teaching lessons online is different than teaching in person – particularly in our type of business. But having no choice, our instructors learned how to do it effectively.

In our field especially, in-person instruction is easier for a number of reasons. For one, it makes checking students and their progress easy. Walking by, assessing work, and making appropriate suggestions is simple when you can see things close-up. Second, it’s also easier for students to ask questions face-to-face. Online instruction makes asking questions more daunting, as it spotlights each participant and their question, while in-person questions can be addressed individually. Students struggling with various techniques may be less inclined to speak up under these conditions. And third, keeping a child’s attention on a screen can also be quite a challenge. If they don’t feel entertained or interested in what’s going on, they won’t listen, or at the very least, will be distracted. 

Despite these challenges, our instructors overcame obstacles and learned how to effectively deal with these situations. They were diligent to ensure each student got individual, personalized attention and was encouraged every step of the way.

Our online classes during the pandemic allowed customers to continue using their creativity, connect with loved ones, and simply have a good time (even when the possibility of having a good time seemed elusive for most people). Though we’re adjusting to some new rules and regulations, we’ve returned to in-person classes, which allows us to continue doing what we love most - teaching art in an environment which fosters fun and creativity!