LAPLACE — With a finger sandwich in one hand and a paintbrush in the other, Joanne Williams set her eye on the canvas in front of her.

Wednesday’s task was to recreate the painting of a lady wearing a big hat, all in shades of gold and brown. Williams was working meticulously on her background while nibbling on her sandwich and occasionally sipping an orange soda.

“It’s very, very relaxing,” Williams said. “Plus, it’s fun.”

Williams was one of about a dozen women at Geaux Paint, a 2-year-old paint party location in the Riverlands Shopping Center at 1512 W. Airline Highway in LaPlace, for a birthday party.

Owned by Tina Charles, Geaux Paint is a local venue for the popular sip-and-paint craze that has swept the New Orleans area.

“I moved back to the area a few years ago, and it didn’t seem like it had anything extra-curricular except for sports bars,” Charles said. “I was trying to bring something different to the area. We want it to be a fun-filled atmosphere and give people an opportunity to do something fun and learn a new skill at the same time.”

Most of the classes are led by Deante Armstrong, a St. Rose artist, who sets each student up with a canvas, easel and paint, then walks around to offer personal instruction — tactfully.

“I just know how to fix their mistakes,” Armstrong said. “You have to go around and help them because everybody paints different. My goal is for them to have a fun workspace and not let anyone get overwhelmed, because you want them to come back or tell somebody else to come. A job like that takes a lot of patience, but I love doing it.”

Armstrong, who has always dreamed of being an art teacher, is a major selling-point.

“Deante is very, very helpful,” said Williams, who was a repeat partier. “My (last) picture messed up all kinds of ways and he came by and it looks just like a professional artist did it. I hung it up on my wall.”

Wednesday’s event was the 25th birthday party for Samantha Montgomery of LaPlace, who invited her family and friends  — including a cousin from Natchez, Miss., — to join her for a little food, spirits and fun.

“I heard it was a great place,” Montgomery said. “So far, I am very pleased.”

Malayah Currie, who is spending the summer as the receptionist, said she has seen a wide variety of groups come in, from children to couples to ladies looking to have good fun.

“They’re funny when they drink,” Currie said. “Their paintings come out funny.”

Good thing Armstrong is there to help them out.

“He’s a miracle worker sometimes,” Currie said. “He’s a real artist.”

The venue is available for private parties and fundraisers. The cost is $35 per person for a two-hour session (with a 30-minute grace period for late arrivals). Fundraisers are $45 per person.

For more information visit their Facebook page (Geauxpaintllc) or call 504-250-3068.