My Art Space: Paint To Your Heart’s Content At This Picturesque Cafe Hidden In Dhoby Ghaut

My Art Space is both an art studio and a cafe that is located in the Istana Park, just a stone’s throw away from Plaza Singapura. Not only can you enjoy a chill brunch here, you can also take up painting classes or go art jamming for fun.

I went to My Art Space to review the two and a half hour art jam package ($55) (a free and easy painting session with materials provided), but I also found myself being really impressed by the architecture and design of the place.

The My Art Space building is surrounded by plenty of greenery and even a large fountain, making it look like a resort in the middle of town.

What’s really cool though, is that a part of the building sits on top of a fountain. The floor is glass in those parts, so you can see the water stream underneath your feet as you paint or eat your meal.

The interior also has a glass roof that allows for plenty of natural light to brighten up the place.

There’s something really homey about this studio/cafe, given the many paintings and trinkets that decorate the space.

There are two main art studios where workshops are held, and an art space dedicated to art jamming, which overlooks the fountain. Art jamming (as the name suggests) is all about just letting your creativity flow, painting anything you want.

Before I commenced my art jamming session, I was briefed on the various paints and brushes that I could use. The information given really was very brief, as it is not so much of an instructional course, but a free and easy session where you’re just supposed to have fun.

The limited instructions did make me a little nervous – as someone who has no real experience in painting, I was afraid I would ruin my work of art. However, the staff were friendly and open to answering any questions I had throughout the whole session.

The art jam package includes a 16 x 20-inch canvas, a free flow of acrylic paint, relevant tools such as brushes and palettes, and a complimentary serving of fruit juice.

On a side note – how cute is the menu? The wooden palette concept is a super fitting and nice touch. If you need something to get your creative juices flowing, there’s even beers, ciders and wines!

Anyway, going back to art jamming, I was given a plastic plate to use as a palette and had access to ten basic acrylic paint colours.

I was trying to paint a scene of a sunset in the Philippines based on one of my Instagram pictures, explaining the numerous swatches of orange, pink, and peach.

I started out with a bright orange. In hindsight, this was probably not a good idea.

I started realising it was a bad idea when I tried painting a silhouette of myself in, and found myself resembling the Grim Reaper, overlooking a sea of lava.

As the staff were quite busy at that point of time, I continued dabbling and swiping my brush around the canvas till the painting started to resemble my picture a little more.

Eventually, the staff came along to help and gave me small pointers that I could use to improve my painting. But above all, they reminded me that art jamming is really just for fun, and isn’t an art exam. 

With that piece of advice, I put aside my Instagram picture that I was referring to and decided to paint what I thought would look good.

In the end, I ended up with a painting that looked quite different from the reference picture, but I liked it all the same. As a person who has never tried doing a proper acrylic painting by myself, I found this experience to be interesting and fun.

I liked the idea of being able to explore and push my creative talent, and was happy that I was able to create a picture that actually looks like a sunset (instead of a lava-filled volcano with a Grim Reaper in it.)

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Art jamming is a great bonding activity to try with a friend or date, as you won’t have the pressure to commit to a series of art classes, and can really just paint as you like.

If you are interested, come in early as the first three walk-ins a day will enjoy a $13 discount. Also, slots are subject to availability so book yours by emailing [email protected] or by calling +65 6222 1662.

Prices: $55 (Regular), $42 (First three walk-ins a day), $37 (Children below 12)

My Art Space: Dhoby Ghaut, Istana Park, 31 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238888 | Opening Hours: (Tue, Thu & Fri) 10am – 8pm; (Mon & Weekends) 1pm – 5pm; Closed on Wednesdays and PH | Tel: +65 6222 1662 | Website | More Info