On the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 12, students gathered in the International Ballroom in the Bruce Pitman Center to paint.
The event, titled “Happy Little Vandals” in reference to Bob Ross, was hosted by Vandal Entertainment and aided by Idaho Eats. Painting materials and refreshments were free to attendees.
Amanda Harlow, a UI alum holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in Painting and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, provided instruction for painting a scenic road.
“I’ve taught a little bit, I’ve taught painting, I’ve worked for a variety of different businesses. Right now, my main art focus is that I teach painting classes with Moscow Contemporary,” she said. “I was able to help instruct this event two years ago, and they just reached out again, and I was super eager to do it.”
“It’s always really fun to just, like, connect with Vandals and have a fun time and take a break from studying and everything else that y’all are up to all the time, so it’s nice to kind of facilitate that, and everyone’s always really kind,” she continued.
Though Harlow instructed attendees based on a specific scene, she emphasized while instructing that students could use the supplies as they wished, echoing a larger sentiment of de-stressing and relaxing that was underscored at the event.
According to Emma Johnston, Event Planner for Vandal Entertainment, previous years of Happy Little Vandals had great student turnout. “Students seem to really love it and gravitate toward it, so we wanted to bring it back,” she said.
“We just hope students have a fun, relaxing time,” Johnston continued. “This time of year, especially when it tends to get dark, sometimes students have a hard time figuring out what to do with their free time and… [the event serves as] honestly a little bright spot in people’s day, and some time to relax, maybe make some new friendships. [It’s] a fun activity to do on a Tuesday.”
Avery Sanguinetti, a sophomore studying Architecture, explained the appeal of the event simply. “I think [painting] is a fun way to express creativity… it’s calming.”
The work of Harlow, Vandal Entertainment, and Idaho Eats appeared to be successful. Participants enjoyed the refreshments and entertainment, quietly painting and talking with their friends before hauling away their creations.
Cal Torres can be reached at [email protected]