Emma Paints × DougCo Social
Paint Nights in Douglas County
Sip-and-paint nights and craft workshops at breweries around Douglas County — Castle Rock, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, and more. Some nights it's a canvas. Some nights it's a wood round, a tote bag, a painted brick, or a stained-glass-style suncatcher you cut and build yourself. Most people who show up have never done any of it; Emma walks the whole room through it, step by step. Every supply included, and you leave with the thing you made.
See upcoming dates →What it is
A relaxed night out where you make something start to finish while you sip whatever you feel like from the bar. Emma sets up at a local brewery or venue, walks the whole room through it step by step, and hands you everything you need — the surface, the paints and materials, brushes, even an apron. No experience required; most people have never done any of it before. Order food and drinks on your own tab, work at your own pace, and leave with the thing you made. Come solo, make it a date, or bring a group.
It's not always a canvas
The name says paint nights and plenty of them are exactly that — a canvas, a brush and a couple of hours. But Emma changes the project every date. Some nights it's a wood round or a live-edge slice. Some nights it's a tote bag, a ceramic coaster, a wine bottle, a plantable flower pot, or a brick painted up like a Halloween character. She does paint pouring and needle felting too.
This fall it's mostly glass suncatchers — you cut and build a stained-glass-style piece and hang it in a window. Same deal as any other night: she brings everything, walks you through it, and you go home with it finished. Each date below says what you'll be making.
Where they happen
Classes have been hosted at Wild Blue Yonder Brewing in Castle Rock, The Wine Barrel and Downhill Brewing in Parker, Max Taps in Highlands Ranch, and Lone Tree Brewing in Lone Tree.
Meet Emma
Emma has been painting since she was ten, when a family friend gave her an art kit that had belonged to her late father — acrylics, watercolors, pastels, a wooden easel. She says the moment the brush hit the canvas, that was it.
She went to Colorado State and almost majored in art, then studied teaching instead. She spent years in early childhood education and built her own art program into the curriculum — each week introducing the kids to a new artist, Van Gogh, O'Keeffe, Picasso, Kahlo, and painting in that style.
In 2014 she put the two halves together and went to work for a paint-and-sip studio. Eleven years there, working up from studio assistant to top lead instructor, writing hundreds of original paintings for their classes. When that studio closed at the start of 2025, she opened her own LLC and became Emma Paints Colorado.
She's based right here in Douglas County and teaches all over the metro — canvases, wood signs, live-edge slices, tote bags, ceramic coasters, wine bottles, plantable flower pots, paint pouring, even needle felting. On the custom side, she'll paint just about anything you ask her to.
How it works
Pick a night
Every date is a different project and a different venue. Pick the one you like from the list below.
Grab your ticket
Reserve your spot on Eventbrite. Everything you need is included.
Show up
No experience needed — Emma walks you through every step. Food and drinks are on your own tab at the venue.
Take it home
Leave with the finished thing you made — canvas, wood round, suncatcher, whatever that night is.
Upcoming paint nights and workshops
Usually around $45–55, everything included. Seats are limited each night.
- Get tickets →
Sunday, November 8 · 12:00 PM
Lone Tree Brewing Co. · Lone Tree
Thankful framed glass painting
- Get tickets →
Saturday, November 21 · 2:00 PM
Wine Barrel · Parker
Merry and Bright, mixed media Christmas trees on canvas
- Get tickets →
Wednesday, November 25 · 6:00 PM
Wild Blue Yonder Brewing · Castle Rock
Holiday Snoopy, canvas or wood panel
See everything Emma has on the calendar, in Douglas County and across the metro, at Emma Paints Colorado on Eventbrite →
Her ticket pages sometimes show 5280 Paint & Craft. Same Emma.
Want to hear about the next one?
Drop your email and we’ll let you know when new nights and workshops drop near you.
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Looking for more to do? Browse Douglas County events →
From past nights
Common questions
Do I need any experience?
None at all — most people who come have never painted before, and nobody has built a suncatcher before. Emma walks the whole room through it, step by step, and every project is broken into simple pieces, so it's easier than it looks.
It's called paint nights — is it always painting?
No, and that's half the fun of it. Plenty of nights are a canvas. Others are a wood round, a live-edge slice, a tote bag, a ceramic coaster, a wine bottle, a plantable flower pot, a painted brick, or a stained-glass-style glass suncatcher you cut and assemble yourself. Emma also does paint pouring and needle felting. Each date below says what you'll make that night.
What is a glass suncatcher workshop?
You build a stained-glass-style piece out of cut glass and hang it in a window. Same setup as a paint night — Emma brings everything, walks you through it, and you go home with it finished. It's the project she's running most this fall.
What's included?
Everything you need for that night's project — the canvas, wood, glass or whatever the surface is, all the paints, brushes and materials, and an apron so you don't wreck your shirt. Just bring yourself.
What does it cost?
Usually around $45–55 depending on the night and the project, with everything included. The exact price is on each event's ticket page — check there, since it moves with the project.
Are food and drinks included?
No — you order whatever you want at the venue and pay for just that. Most nights are at breweries, so there's beer, and several have food too.
Can I come by myself or bring a group?
Both. Come solo, make it a date night, or bring a group of friends — it's a social, low-key evening either way. A few are afternoon classes rather than nights, so check the time on the date you want.
Where are they?
At breweries and venues around Douglas County — Castle Rock, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, and more. Each date below lists the spot. Emma teaches all over the metro too, so if nothing here works, her full calendar is linked under the dates.
Do they sell out?
Yes — our very first one sold out. Seats are limited each night, so grab yours early. If a date you want is full, join the list below and we'll tell you when the next one drops.
Who runs them?
Every class is taught by Emma of Emma Paints Colorado. Her ticket pages sometimes show 5280 Paint & Craft — same Emma. She spent eleven years as a lead instructor at a paint-and-sip studio before opening her own studio, and she teaches all over the metro. DougCo Social partners with her to bring them to Douglas County.