Cups N Canvas in Singapore explores the friendship between coffee and art by offering painting classes in a studio and coffee and snacks in a cafe. (JG Photo/Katrin Figge)
Art and coffee are a match made in heaven — at least that’s what the owners of Cups N Canvas had in mind when they came up with the idea of opening a space where people could enjoy a cup of coffee while discovering their inner artist.
Located on the ground floor of an art-deco shophouse and close to several art schools and museums, Cups N Canvas is a combined art studio and cafe and has become a favorite among local patrons in Singapore — not just because of its unique concept, but also for the friendly atmosphere.
“Everybody who comes here, be it to paint or to eat and drink some coffee, they all want to de-stress,” said Hock, who owns and manages Cups N Canvas. “It’s all very casual and relaxing.”
The space is divided in two sections: upon entering, visitors will find the art studio on the right side, while the cafe is on the left. The see-through sliding door is usually closed when class is in session so as not to disturb the budding painters, but is otherwise left open for guests to explore and take a look at the works that are neatly arranged on a shelf on the wall.
Art classes are held four times a week by three different tutors; pre-registration is advisable, because the number of students is limited to eight.
“We don’t want our classes to be too packed, so the tutors will have time for everybody,” Hock explained. “Usually, it takes about three to four sessions to finish one painting.”
While the finished pieces can be exhibited and even sold at Cups N Canvas, some of the students prefer to take their creations home — this is especially true for beginners who want to hold on to their paintings.
“They put a lot of effort into the paintings, so they’d like to keep them,” Hock said.
Beginner classes are quite popular, he added, and usually, the students continue to come once they have learned the basics.
“It’s great to see their progress,” Hock explained. “After every finished painting, you can just tell how much better they have become, and they go on and try different, more difficult styles.”
While the classes are casually referred to as “art jamming,” it is still necessary to have a tutor around to overlook things and simply be there when needed.
“At some other places in Singapore, you do ‘art jamming’ on your own, and everything is basically freestyle, but at the end of the day, probably you don’t learn much about the proper technique,” Hock said. “Here, of course, some students need their space too and rather work on their own, and the tutors will respect that.”
In addition to the beginners painting classes, Cups N Canvas also offers courses for intermediate and those especially tailored for kids, as well as printmaking and live drawing classes.
Hock, who also developed the cafe’s menu together with the chef, said that the light bites and snacks at Cups N Canvas that include sandwiches, pasta and all-day breakfast match the overall concept.
“Everything is based on colors,” Hock said “We evolved the whole menu based on strong colors like red and green, to coincide with the color patterns that are used on the canvas.”
The best seller among the drinks is the sweet potato latte, which comes in a unique purple color.
“People like it probably because it’s very photo-friendly,” Hock said. “I don’t even know if all of them like how it tastes, but if you check our Facebook site, they post a lot of photos of the sweet potato latte there. It’s a piece of art on its own.”
Cups N Canvas
139 Selegie Road, Singapore
Tel. +65 6884 6855
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