'Social Painting' is the new nocturne hobby!

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Fox and Hound pub in downtown Philadelphia has easels and canvases for "Paint Nite". This gives the clients the opportunity to tap their inner Van Gogh. Just order a drink and a friendly instructor takes you step-by-step through the brush strokes of a landscape, still life or skyline.

The two-hour event often sells out. The experience known as social painting is seeing explosive growth in cities across the USA, because people seek to relax while rediscovering their creative side.

"It's been crazy", said Laura Romaine, assistant manager of Painting with a Twist. "They're like banging down the door to come in here and paint".

You don't necessary need to be a real artist! Many can't remember their last encounter with a palette.

The Louisiana-based company offers lessons as well as private painting parties and already has 126 franchises nationwide as of last year.

Co-founder Sean McGrail said Paint Nite started with one event at a Boston bar exactly two years ago and has grown in two years to 55000 people attending 1100 events per month in the U.S. and Canada.

Next cities where they will launch the event are: Johannesburg and Buenos Aires.

There are no mistakes at Paint Nite.

Allyson Meng, who works in customer service for a transportation company said "It was a challenge for me, but I really did enjoy it". "I don't have an artistic bone in my body."

"People don't do a lot of things with their hands anymore", Laura Romaine said. "We're all on screens all day".