Side by Side Fridays
with Paula Desano- 2026
- JUL 24 - AUG 14
- 6PM-7:30PM
Some of the best things are made together. This summer, Portsmouth Arts Guild invites families and friends to Side by Side Fridays – four evenings of making, sharing and being present with the people who matter most. Whether you’re young or not-so-young, picking up a brush or using one for the hundredth time, these nights are for you and yours. Pizza and Paint. Petals and Paint. Tea and Cookies. And one canvas shared between two. Create together. Make something that lasts.
July 24th: Painting Pizza
Plain or pepperoni-ed, choose a pizza to put to canvas. It’s a delicious warmup for beginning artists and seasoned ones alike and the best part comes at the end, when the real thing arrives. Bring your appetite for both.
July 31: Petals and Paint
Flowers have been the subject for artists for centuries, and tonight they belong to you. Working with fresh blooms, explore color, shape and the surprising detail hiding in a single petal. Enjoy dessert as you paint! When the brushes are cleaned and the paintings are admired, the flowers go home with you – along with something you made together.
August 7: Tea Cups and Cookies
Set the table, pour the tea, and take a long look at what’s in from of you – because tonight, the still life is also dessert. Paint the spread before you enjoy it, finding beauty in the ordinary and sweetness in the act of slowing down. The cookies are worth the wait.
August 14: Painting a Diagram
This one is a little different. Each pair receives a single canvas, divided down the middle – one side yours, one side mine. The subject? A shared world you’ll build together as you go. When the two halves meet, something unexpected happens. Part collaboration, part discovery, and dessert to go with. Come curious.
What to Expect:
- Artistic Exploration: Engage in drawing and painting activities suitable for all skill levels.
- Bonding Moments: Strengthen your connection through the joy of creating art together.
- Guidance from local artist and educator Paula Desano: Receive guidance from Paula and experienced Guild artists who will help you bring your paintings to life.
- Register for one, two or all four sessions!
All materials are included.
- LOCATION: Portsmouth Arts Guild
- COST: $20 per couple each session
Paula Desano, Instructor
Artist Statement: “What we create and form today opens the door to what becomes real tomorrow.”
I think I was born with a crayon in my hand; all my childhood memories centered on coloring in coloring books, enjoy watching my grandmother paint, and watch my uncle paint different parts of animals and fish in his taxidermy shop. From there to adulthood with classes in pastel painting and oil painting at Don’s Art Shop with Kathy Kittell and Bill McLane.
My painting compositions in oils are very broad; they include still life, landscapes, portraits, allegories, cityscape, seascapes, boating, abstracts, and mandalas. I use this medium with my personal expression from the depth of my subconscious when processing through the expressive arts and use a multitude of various mediums with clients in the expressive arts process as well. My paintings have been shown in various art galleries, museums, and local establishments to include, the New Hope Art Gallery in Cranston, RI, the Bristol Art Museum in Bristol, RI, the Portsmouth Art Guild in Portsmouth, RI; Angelina’s Café, Alta Luna Art Gallery, and Hope Art Gallery. In 2013 I was the featured artist at Sandra Desano Studio, Gallery Night, showing my mandala series based on the expressive arts and subconscious expression (a Jungian practice).
I currently teach Homeschool Art and Art History classes as well as oil painting in my home studio.