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CHANDLER, Ariz. - A Phoenix area art instructor is using something a bit more unconventional to create unique paintings, and he is sharing his love of art with people all around the Valley.
At Bottle and Bean in Chandler, Dave Wilhelmsen is sharing his passion of painting with others. However, he is not using traditional paint to cover his canvas.
Wilhelmsen is using coffee.
The idea came to him about a year ago.
"It was just by accident," Wilhelmsen recounted. "I was in one of my favorite coffee shops, and it spilled onto one of my watercolor papers. I started to use my paintbrush and went ‘this is really interesting.’"
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AZ art instructor teaching coffee painting classes
It's a place where coffee and art intersect, literally. What began as a spill at a coffee shop turned into a new art adventure for one New Yorker-turned-Arizonan, and since then, he has shared his passion for coffee painting with others. FOX 10's Ellen McNamara reports.
Wilhelmsen moved from New York to Arizona about 30 years ago. The longtime artist has taught adults with special needs and children. He also enjoys the group classes.
"People feel a connection when they’re doing something by hand, and when they’re creating something themselves, they feel like that’s a piece of them, and they can gift it, keep it at home, exhibit it," Wilhelmsen said.
He says people do not have to have any painting experience.
"What’s great about the coffee, is that it’s one color and you’re doing darker, light to dark," said Wilhelmsen.
Wilhelmsen said whether you paint with coffee or not, painting is a great way to decompress.
"It’s very relaxing, that’s the thing," Wilhelmsen said. "It’s like therapy."
Wilhelmsen is holding another coffee painting class on September 27 at Bottle and Bean in Chandler.
Coffee Painting class with Dave Wilhelmsen
https://www.bottle-bean.com/event-details/coffee-painting-class-w-dave-wilhelmsen-2