In an era when people crave connections even through virtual platforms like Facebook and Meetup, connecting at art parties has become a growing social trend.

Cary artist Arianne Hemlein has created murals and custom art for businesses and homes since 2002, but she said art as a social event began taking off across the country last year.

Hemlein's teaching venture, Sociable Art, which she owns with Apex artist Karen Campbell, allows people to meet at a restaurant or local business and learn to create a piece of artwork within two hours. Hemlein said when she started teaching she wanted to "take it on the road" and make art accessible for everyone, even those who claim they have little to no artistic talent.

Q: What happens when someone shows up at a Sociable Art event?

A: They don't need to bring a thing. I have a gallery of paintings, from my original artwork to my renditions of van Gogh, Cezanne and Monet. I choose one before the event that we will work on together. For private parties, I create an original work based on what the host suggests. People register in advance, then just show up. I have the paint brushes, paints and canvases ready to go. During the class, I recreate the painting step-by-step. What I like to stress is that realism is only one type of art and I hope people will create the painting in their own style. Expressing themselves is the most important thing and it's great if they have a different style.

Q: Why do you think this type of art teaching has become such a trend?

A: It really is taking the country by storm, especially over the past year. We do get a lot of women who sign up, and I think it may be because there are so many demands on women, and there is no time for hobbies. We get so busy with kids and jobs - I think taking a two-hour art class is a way to get back to creativity. I hear a lot of comments like, "It's so good to get out and do something for myself."

Sociable Art is an opportunity for people to meet in a different place and begin to stretch themselves. I have several return clients, and some of them tell me they have bought brushes and canvases to paint at home. I can't tell you how rewarding that is to hear.

Q: What are some of the strategies you use as you teach people who tell you they can't draw?

A: I emphasize that there is no right or wrong in art; I want them to get in the proper mindset. Many of the paintings I've done before, so I know where people might make mistakes or get frustrated. I try to warn students ahead of time to avoid pitfalls.

Women, in particular, put a lot of pressure on themselves to be perfect, and they are often very concerned about what other people will think. You can't approach art that way. ... It helps to relax and feel it.

I also mention that getting a painting done in two hours and having it dry enough to take home within that timeframe is very different than working on a painting over days or weeks.

Q: Teaching is a relatively new experience for you. What has surprised you about it?

A: I had a fear of public speaking my whole life; I would never have thought that I could get up in front of a whole room full of people and speak without fear. But since I started teaching, I've never had a problem. Art is what I know and I'm so comfortable with it. It's helped me grow in such an incredible way; it's like I haven't met a stranger now.

The whole experience has built my confidence just as I'm hoping to build the confidence of others. When I ask them at the beginning of class, "Do you paint?" many often say, "I can't even draw a stick figure." By the end of class, they are surprised they can create a painting in two hours that they would be proud to hang on their wall.

Q: The Sociable Art concept is so flexible. What are your plans for the future?

A: We already offer classes for kids (Sociable Arts Kids) from Karen Campbell's home studio in Apex, available during track-out and the summer. We do team-building for companies and private parties, like one I'm doing for a client who is going on a mission trip in May. She is using the event to raise money for the mission trip.