Paint Your Stress Away With “Souse Artist” – Art Workshop In KL [Review]

Aside from joining her Art Therapy workshop, we interviewed Raneeta Gill on her art journey.

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Painting can be therapeutic for some even if they’re not artistic.

Frankly speaking, I for one, am not what you call an art enthusiast. But I can draw a few stick men and a 2D house with a sun in the background if you call that art.

But I heard that art can be a therapy, so with this state of mind, I’m willing to give it a chance. That’s why I joined this workshop a few weeks ago by Souse Artist, an art brand that specialises in art therapy as well as sip and paint classes.

Souse Art Therapy

What’s different about this workshop is, that it’s meant for exclusive experiences and they don’t have a specific place to do their workshop. Sometimes it might be in a restaurant, sometimes it might be on a balcony, heck, sometimes it might even be outdoors. Therapy, remember?

The one that I went for was called Souse Art Therapy at Les Bouchons, where you get to paint on a balcony of a French restaurant, overlooking the panoramic view of the city.

Once I got to the venue, I was greeted by Raneeta Gill, the captivating woman behind the brand Souse Artist. Being a talented artist from a young age, Raneeta started the brand all by herself in 2020 and said that she enjoys teaching people art.

For the session, I was provided with a 3ft x 2ft canvas, a selection of brushes, a palette, an apron, and an array of colourful paints. The workshop also included a choice of two beverages per person, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Additionally, there was an assortment of delectable finger foods provided by the restaurant, which were enjoyable.

Because it was just an exclusive workshop, there were only 7 people in the session, including me. So Raneeta had lots of time to focus on helping each individual equally for 4 hours.

The session began with an introduction from Raneeta as an instructor in front of the whole class. She began by saying that this is the time to channel all our negativity, hatred, problems and depression into something positive and beautiful. Before diving into the painting process, she guided us through some helpful breathing exercises.

“There is no right or wrong, this is not a specific guided painting session, this is just a space where you can use your own creativity and create anything that pops into your mind. It can be abstract or anything for that matter,” she said.

And with that, she told us to paint a dark background first, focusing on our negative energy. Next, she told us to pick bright colours to channel our positivity in life and change the narrative of our paintings.

Raneeta also taught me how to use some brushes and tools to help with my painting. Even though I didn’t know what was I doing half of the time, it was still a soothing experience for me. It was definitely a road to self-discovery.

Seeing my own painting filled me with a sense of accomplishment. Every time I look at it, I’m reminded of my growth and positive changes. There were also weird spots here and there which reflect my tendency to go overboard sometimes, but when I looked at it as a whole, I feel like it’s beautiful. Well, at least for me it does.

For your information, the fee for the workshop is RM259. Yes, truth be told, it does sound a little steep, but for very good reasons. Because of the exclusivity of the workshop, the high-quality materials, the serene ambience, and the emotionally comforting guidance of a professional painter, the fee was worth it.

Raneeta Gill’s Journey: From Boats to Brushes – The Birth of Souse Artist

Since I tried the relaxing workshop, I have been curious about Raneeta’s story of how she started Souse Artist. As a result, I arranged an interview session with her to uncover the intriguing details.

1. What is “Souse Artist”?

Souse Artist is an art platform that caters to and aims to cover the entire spectrum of art (experiences, education, awareness, events and so on).

Souse Artist is very unique and definitely one of a kind. But our hope & goal is to work with all art platforms to create a positive change that is missing in the art world in Malaysia.

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2. Can you tell us about your art journey?

I’ve been passionate about art since I was a child, relishing the freedom it offers for self-expression. In my early twenties, I explored art in Malaysia and even exhibited abroad. However, I soon realized the limitations artists face here.

To make a living, I ventured into the corporate world and ran a charter and boat company for seven years, becoming the first woman to do so. This experience gave me a fresh perspective and honed my creative thinking, allowing me to create transformative boat experiences in Puteri Harbour, Johor.

3. What inspired you to start your own brand?

When COVID-19 happened in 2020, a lot of people were forced to either end a journey or create a new one. That applied to me as well.

I had to end a journey of seven years in the boat industry to reignite my passion once again but this time with knowledge and experience. My goal was to make a positive impact and fill existing voids or address missing experiences in the art industry in Malaysia.

4. What kind of classes do you offer?

We offer art workshops and unique art experiences such as Sip & Paint, Souse Art Mingle, and Souse Art Therapy.

Sip & Paint is a workshop that encourages individuals to create art based on unique themes in a non-judgmental, fun and exciting social gathering. Beginners are welcome to join this one.

Souse Art Mingle is an experience reserved for people who are art lovers and collectors. It is designed for individuals who appreciate art with sophistication, possess an intellectual mindset for engaging in conversations, and truly comprehend the essence of art.

Meanwhile, Souse Art Therapy provides professional art therapy experiences that are scientifically proven to aid mental, emotional & physical well-being. Beginners can join this one too.

5. What do you hope to address at a larger level?

Art in Malaysia has been overlooked and been told by the older generations that “Art is just a hobby” and “You can’t possibly make a living”. That is so far away from the truth, art is everything around us.

I believe that we are living with art all around us every day. From the clothes we wear, food we eat, houses we live in, vehicles we drive and everything we look at around us. They’re all beautiful creations that were inspired by art.

The Art industry in Malaysia is evolving but not in the entire spectrum and Souse Artist aims to make that positive change.

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6. How do you aim to make that positive change? How does Souse Artist contribute to the creative community?

We’re looking to make a positive change that is clearly needed in the art industry in Malaysia specifically through the term “Art With Cause”.

For this, we created a specific event that addresses this which is a Souse Art Charity Dinner. The charity dinner provides opportunities for all Souse Artists who have engaged in our workshop experiences by providing them a platform to grow as creators & artists.

Selected paintings from our artists created during all workshops will be premiered and exhibited during our art charity event which will then be auctioned off to raise funds for our 6 pillars of causes, which are Animals, Mental & Emotional Well-being, Children, Women, Men and the Environment.

All artists will be included in our artist profiles, this is to encourage all our workshop participants to keep creating and evolving with us.

7. What plans do you have for your brand in the future?

We have a lot of colourful & exciting experiences in the pipeline, I would suggest that you keep your eyes peeled with anticipation because we are bringing a new wave of change in the art industry.