It’s lekker, messy creativity and art

It’s not a prerequisite to be a Picasso or a van Gogh, but a good time instead leads the list of probable outcomes.

Even if the extent of your artistic ability is limited to stick people, there’s no limits in NuNu The Artist’s space for freedom of expression.

Because no matter what, making a mess or creating a keepsake for your lounge or office is cool. Watching your kids indulge in two hours of high fun, priceless.

NuNu The Artist is a studio in Melrose Arch that’s run by a former accountant, not a la de da artist who may pass judgment on your messy picture.

Owner Zara Cindy Mullah started the business for the same reasons that you and I would spend time there. Just like us, she is someone who appreciates the work of painters, yet always wanted to try her own hand, but carried a laptop instead of a palette.

In fact, only after about five years post-starting the store did she start painting, and now it’s second nature for her to unwind with a brush.

Inside the studio, creativity comes in many shapes and sizes. There are mounted canvas sessions for those wanting to paint a picture, but also tote bag painting, pottery glazing, and a splash area that allows you to throw and splash paint without anyone asking you to clean it up.

“We’ve got a splash area where customers can just go wild on their canvases,” Mullah said.

“You’d be surprised at the result. We sometimes leave canvases in there for weeks, letting people add to them. In the end, it’s this collaborative, abstract piece created by dozens of hands.”

There’s no judgment or critique, just fun

The environment caters to all ages and levels of comfort. There’s no judgment, no critique, no hovering instructor correcting your brush strokes. There are members of staff, all art graduates or students, willing to help at every turn. But in the end, it’s you, your imagination and some paint.

“People think they need to be artists to join in, but they don’t,” she said.

“Our motto is simple: paint your imagination.”

Corporate clients use the space too. It’s become a surprising hit for team-building exercises.

“We’ve had whole legal teams in here trying to piece together a collective image, talking about colour palettes and making sure the lines match up,” she said. “It gets people to connect in a different way.”

But before the paint pots and brushes, Mullah was lived inside spreadsheets.

“I’m not an artist by training,” she said. “I studied accounting. I’ve done certificates and diplomas in art later on, but no visual arts degree. Still, I always loved art, and when I got involved in the studio, I realised how much joy it brings.”

The studio was originally affiliated with a franchise, but in March this year, it officially became its own brand.

“We rebranded and made it a family business,” she said. “NuNu was my nickname growing up, and it just felt right to build something personal under that name.”

The comfort to try something new

NuNu The Artist now operates two locations, the studio at Melrose Arch and a space at the old Keth Kirsten’s nursery in Parktown North.

Both spaces have been designed to feel inspiring and accessible.

“We wanted places where people could be comfortable enough to try something new,” she said. “Whether it’s a toddler splashing paint on a mug or a grandparent painting a plate, it’s about making memories.”

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Mullah said that the emotional power of a blank canvas can be intimidating at first.

“We had a woman who sat for nearly half an hour and just cried before she could start,” she said.

“She hadn’t touched a brush since school and didn’t think she could do it. We always say, just make a mark. Even with your non-dominant hand. That first mark is the hardest, but once it’s made, the rest flows.”

Creativity is a muscle that needs to be flexed, said Mullah.

“There’s art in everything. Even doing your books can be artful, if not quite creative accounting,” she laughed.

“What matters is doing it your way and enjoying it. That’s what we’re about.”

The joy of creating

Her objective, Mullah said, is not to have people produce perfect art but to reconnect with the joy of creating.

“So many people walk out saying they forgot how good it feels,” she said. “They start painting at home again or doodling in meetings, not because the meeting is boring but because their mind, their creative spirit, is opening up.”

Pricing ranges from R180 to around R2 000, depending on the medium, size, and time spent. It’s a reasonably affordable pastime, considering a cinema visit for a family of four can already cost close to a grand.

The studio also offers something tangible to take home: your own creativity.

“You can hang your art on the wall or carry it with you on a tote. Nobody else has that item. It’s yours.”

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