In honor of Black History Month, Cutwell 4 Kids will hold multiple painting events in February, with some events for adults and one for all ages.
C4K will hold Paint & Sip events on Feb. 11 and Feb. 25, and will hold a Paint & Chill event on Feb. 18. A Paint & Chill was also scheduled for Feb. 4, but it was canceled due to the wintry weather.
Anthony Tidwell, founder of C4K, told The Sentinel-Record that in February there will be "painting events for Black History Month" on Fridays.
Tidwell said that at each of these events, C4K instructor RayShaun McNary will lead the classes. McNary will pre-paint outlines on canvas, and the participants will then paint in the lines that McNary started.
While C4K is focused on working with children, two of these events are for adults only. There will be alcohol at the two Paint & Sip events on Feb. 11 and Feb. 25.
When asked why they decided to do a painting event with adults, Tidwell said, "because we did a Martin Luther King Jr. one (and) adults showed up."
Tidwell said at the MLK painting event, several parents attended with their children, and these adults wanted to participate. One adult who attended was "a young woman who had just had a baby," Tidwell said.
"She wanted to paint and relax," Tidwell added.
The two Paint & Sip events will be limited to adults only, and both cost $10 admission. The all-ages Paint & Chill on Feb. 18 is free to attend.
"I want to make sure we provide a free art service to our community every holiday," Tidwell said, adding that "each month" he wants to "provide a free service" for the kids in the area.
Adults are still welcome to participate on Feb. 18, and while that event is free, "We always take donations," Tidwell said. "We do the free activities for kids in the community, but we always accept donations."
Tidwell also noted how much he likes seeing McNary share his skills with children. When McNary was a child, he learned from Tidwell as a student in the C4K program, and now he is "paying it forward," Tidwell said.
"That's what it's about. It's fulfilling," Tidwell said of watching McNary share the skills he learned from Tidwell.
"It shows the value of C4K. It also creates an income for him," he added.
"To see a kid come through the program, to watch him flourish and grow and be able to host a class," Tidwell said.
All three events will be held from 6-9 p.m. at the C4K Studio at 247 Silver St.