Our Mission

We want to help people discover the joy of painting. The idea for The Art Playground evolved from outdoor Paint N Sip workshops in Den Haag Netherlands.

We still offer Paint N Sip Sessions, which are perfect for the one-off experience, however in addition we also offer painting courses like Abstract Painting, Plein air painting and more.

About The Founder

Katie Houser began her academic journey studying Art History and Criticism at the University of Georgia, where she developed a deep understanding of artistic movements and contemporary practice. She later moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a Master of Fine Arts at Newcastle University, graduating with Distinction in 2022.

During this time she developed her studio practice while exhibiting internationally and working alongside respected artists including Christian Mieves, Narbi Price, Jane Millican, and Gaile Meeks. Her work received critical recognition from art writer Richard Grayson, who described her as “one of the most exciting artists in North East England.”

Alongside her artistic practice, she became deeply involved in supporting other artists — co-founding a gallery and collective within Hypha Studios and working in curatorial and mentoring roles with both emerging and established painters.

Through these experiences she saw how powerful painting could be when people were given the space to explore it together. Paint N Sip was created from that vision: bringing the richness of contemporary painting into a welcoming, social environment where creativity, conversation, and experimentation meet.

Today she continues to develop her own artistic practice while creating experiences that invite others into the world of painting.

Contact us

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!