Have you ever wondered what you would look like as a Drag Queen? Would you have over-the-top bright blue hair? Be sweet but a little fierce? Have feathery, multicoloured lashes? With “Paint your Inner Queen” you are sure to find out.
The room itself is filled with empty, promising blank canvases, well-loved aprons, splotches of paint, and other soon-to-be artists. The atmosphere is already buzzing- a mix of anticipation and giddy excitement, with strangers talking to strangers with a glass of wine in one hand and a paintbrush in the other.
The class begins. Instructor Brittany and assistant Josephine reassure us that it’s okay to make mistakes, emphasising that there is not one right way to make a piece of art. There is an immediate feeling of genuine acceptance within the room, with painters freely talking to unfamiliar faces about their own artistic ideas and the beginnings of their Inner Queens.
Speaking of Queens - this review would not be complete without mentioning the bright, iridescent star of the evening: Drag Queen Perri Prism. As soon as Perri saunters into the room, adorned in a thematic, lustrous ensemble and wild, rainbow hair to match, we all cheer. Whether she was having quick-witted banter with the crowd, executing a flawless choreographed performance, or sharing some genuinely helpful (and hilarious) painting advice, Perri Prism never failed to entertain.
As the night slipped through our fingers, our Queens began to take shape. Mermaids, fairies, princesses, Bratz Dolls, flower queens… you name it, someone had painted it. Once we had finished (or mostly finished), we walked around the room, looking at the other masterpieces and complimenting the painters on their artistic ability. You could almost match each Inner Queen to their respective owner, as if the aura of their masterpiece matched that of the painter themselves.
“Paint your Inner Queen” is one of those rare, wonderful unicorns of a show where you will never want to leave. I left that masterclass with a newfound sense of confidence, a room full of new friends, and a portrait that unashamedly captured my own Inner Queen.