Avid teenage painters and novices can paint the night away at the Key Biscayne Community Center.
The Village of Key Biscayne is hosting its second annual Youth and Teen Paint Night, set for 8-9:30 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 9.
The event is for kids between the ages of 10 and 17.
David Plotkin, Key Biscayne’s youth program coordinator and camp director, who’s the brainchild of the Teen Paint Night, said the event is similar to Painting with a Twist.
Painting with a Twist is a paint and sip studio experience where guests follow step‑by‑step painting instruction while enjoying wine or other beverages, typically in a fun, social group setting.
In Key Biscayne’s case, youth and teens instead will eat pizza and wash it down with soft drinks.
Plotkin said local artist Elisa Gana, a staff member at the Community Center, will be the painting instructor for the event.
Plotkin said Gana will give step-by-step instructions on what the kids want to paint.
The village will provide the painting materials and kids can take home the canvases.
“It’s a cool paint night for youth and teens to get together in a safe environment on a Friday night,” Plotkin said.
Plotkin said the event is designed to pique the interest of teens, especially on the weekend when they are more caught up in their social lives like hanging out on South Beach, Bayside MarketPlace and other popular teen hangouts in the mainland.
He said the community center has become some sort of a teen hub after hours on weekend nights with events including basketball and air hockey tournaments and other recreational programs.
Plotkin, who has been the youth program coordinator and camp director for the past 20 years, said it’s a challenge to keep kids living in Key Biscayne here on the weekends, where it’s safe. He’s been making progress with the sports and recreational programs to get more youth and teens involved.
Plotkin said he recalls when he and his wife participated in Painting with a Twist during the COVID-19 pandemic, when classes were done over Zoom to keep people safe from the virus.
When mulling his next idea for kids, Plotkin said kids painting with each other would be fun.
“And I thought it would be better to do it in person,” he said.
The 2025 inaugural event was a success as 20 kids participated, which was the limit for space in the arts and crafts room.
“Last year, the girls got together, laughed and just had a good time,” Plotkin said. “The kids went home happy.”
Kids can paint whatever they like and with the help of Gana, their portraits could look like a Norman Rockwell painting.
Plotkin said since Halloween is right around the corner, kids might want to paint ghosts, goblins, witches and evil characters.
“Gana will help them with the paint colors they need and how to mix different shades,” he said. “And the best part, you don’t need the experience to paint something cool.
Gana was unavailable for an interview.
For more information on the Youth and Teen Paint Night, call (305) 365-8900 or click here.