By Mark Lannaman
The popular local Paint ‘N Sit ATL event held its largest gathering yet. An estimated 3000 people came together to create and celebrate art and build community.
The idea is simple: people gather for the free event, use the provided paint tools or bring their own, and paint with each other. Paint ‘N Sit ATL holds its gatherings in Old Fourth Ward Skatepark.
“Our goal is to create therapeutic art spaces that allow healing, connectivity and a safe space for people to come and be present with themselves and around other people,” said Elijah Wade, founder of the event and an artist who saw it transform from a small gathering to something attracting thousands of people today.
“I was doing small paints at my crib with my friends and just gathering art,” Wade said. With walls full of art, he says, he needed a way to share them with others without them having to pay steep art prices.
“So I took all the paintings I had to the park, made a sign out of some cardboard and was like, ‘If you like it you can make a donation for it or you can take it for free,’ “ said Wade. “A few people came and were receptive.
The following week, Wade says he began to wonder if people would be open to painting with him. So he made another sign that simply read along the lines of: ‘If you want to sit and paint in the park with me, it’s free’. Sure enough, people did.
Over time, more and more people started showing up. As it grew, Wade knew he had something special.
The event officially started in July 2021, months after Wade lost his job.
“I lost my job in January [2021], so every weekend that I could find some money working during the week, I would get out and it just grew from there.”
It has since grown into a massive event attracting thousands of people. The cold and the allergy-inducing pollen have proven to be no match to the sensation, either; the last event saw over 3,000 people according to the organizers’…
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