Artist Hannah Love painted her dog to help demonstrate concepts in a paint-and-sip event at Smart Kreativ Studio on Feb. 7, 2026. (Ann Pinson/Stars and Stripes)
About a dozen people including me gathered in an art studio recently, and although we didn’t know one another, we all had one thing in common: a picture of a very cute pet we were committed to capturing on canvas.
We were taking part in a paint-and-sip at Smart Kreativ Studio, which offers art, craft and sewing programs for adults and kids taught by various instructors in Rodenbach, around a 20-minute drive from downtown Kaiserslautern.
Among the other workshops scheduled in February was a beginner’s watercolor painting class dedicated to a specific type of animal: Highland cows.
The range of activities offered also includes summer camps in a variety of disciplines, private lessons, mommy-and-me events and charcuterie board decorating.
I attended a Paint Your Pet session led by cheerful artist Hannah Love. The walls of the basement studio were lined with colorful sample paintings from past classes, with Love’s canvas that she’d use as an example for us on an easel up front.
Snacks and drinks await participants in a paint-and-sip event at Smart Kreativ Studio in Rodenbach on Feb. 7, 2026. (Ann Pinson/Stars and Stripes)
We loaded plates with cheese, crackers, grapes and other snacks, poured glasses of wine and soda, and answered a couple of questions about ourselves and the animals we were painting to break the ice.
Participants had emailed in their photos when they registered. Quick pencil sketches of our animals that Love had drawn in advance to get us started were printed out and placed next to our easels.
Roach the dachshund and Sirius the black cat were among those waiting to be immortalized in acrylics. My mother-in-law’s Chihuahua, Pippi, was my muse for the evening.
I figured that if the painting turned out well, I’d mail it to her, but I was not certain I’d be printing that Pirate Ship mailing label anytime soon. Many of my classmates seemed unsure of how the process would go, but Love’s positive attitude swept us along.
Participants in a paint-and-sip event at Smart Kreativ Studio had snacks, wine and soda at the studio in Rodenbach on Feb. 7, 2026. (Ann Pinson/Stars and Stripes)
Paper plates held some basic colors for mixing. Love started by having us paint the darkest areas on our animals and then led us through filling lighter and darker areas.
If we were struggling, she was always happy to hop in and give us suggestions for next steps. The moods at paint-and-sips can vary greatly — sometimes silly, social or serious— but this one was very focused.
I picked a green background for my Chihuahua, who had lots of orange in her fur. When I struggled with next steps, Love suggested using a lighter, yellowish color to bring out some highlights.
Participants in a paint-and-sip event at Smart Kreativ Studio pose with their paintings in Rodenbach on Feb. 7, 2026. (Ann Pinson/Stars and Stripes)
There were no cookie-cutter creations. Each person’s work was as distinctive as the creatures we were painting.
“You’re all artists,” Love exclaimed.
She came by to look at my painting before the end of the class.
“That looks like it’ll be a good gift,” she said.
I couldn’t help but be encouraged by the enthusiasm. I guess my mother-in-law should keep her eye on the mailbox.
If you’re looking to add a little more art to your life, Tammy Smart, who has run Smart Kreativ Studio since 2014, said she is planning on rolling out events to let local artists showcase their work and connect with people in the community and each other.
She said her studio is all about bringing people together.
“It’s just a safe space for anybody to enjoy and relax and do what they love to do,” she said.
Participants in a paint-and-sip event at Smart Kreativ Studio used photos of pets for inspiration for their work at the studio in Rodenbach on Feb. 7, 2026. (Ann Pinson/Stars and Stripes)
Smart Kreativ Studio
Address: Friedhofstrasse 71, Rodenbach, Germany
Cost: 35 euros for the paint-and-sip. Prices vary by program. Registration is required.
Hours: Variable
Information: facebook.com/smartkreativshop; instagram.com/smartkreativ_studio
