Colab Report June 2025

The CoLab Monthly

June 2025

A purple squid-like monster wearing a black beret and holding a paintbrush that says "LET'S BE UNCOMFORTABLE TOGETHER"

What’s Inside?

  • Two First Friday Events this week?!
  • Our new gallery show, Pride: We’re Not Going Anywhere, opens this First Friday. 
  • We’ll also be at Artspace First Friday! With TWO live paintings AND Draw Draw Pass.
  • Drink N Draw, Night Open Studio, and Sunday Open Studio keep rolling. 
  • This month we’re collaborating with Raleigh Fusion Fest: A Celebration of Diversity through flags.
  • We’re on Bluesky! Check us out @thecolabraleigh.bsky.social
  • Send this newsletter to a friend! To be added to our mailing list, reply to this email.

June’s Gallery Show

Pride: We’re Not Going Anywhere

Background: An American flag with "We Are Not Going Anywhere" painted on it in rainbow colors. Foreground: Pride Call For Art, Drop Off: May 31, Opening: June 6 with CoLab's logo

The LGBTQ+ community continues to come under attack, losing basic human rights that took decades to secure. For the month of June, CoLab gallery will be exhibiting art that highlights the LGBTQ+ community and allies.

Sign Up To Exhibit Your Art

  • The drop off deadline is Saturday, May 31 at CoLab Studio.
  • Bring your work on May 31, or make arrangements to get it to us before then! 
  • Check the CoLab Linktree and Website Calendar for more details! 

First Friday!

We Invite You To Our Studio

CoLab Studio at the "Figured Out" First Friday show opening, with various people talking to each other and looking at art hung on the walls.

Join us on the First Friday of each month for:

  • The opening of our new art show
  • Collaborative painting
  • The $5 Sketch Wall
  • Cool CoLab merch
  • Snacks and drinks (donations appreciated)
  • The best of Raleigh’s art community

June’s First Friday Details:

🏳️‍🌈Opening of Pride: We’re Not Going Anywhere

🗓️June 6

⌚6 – 11 pm

📍CoLab Studio at 14 Glenwood Ave #17, Raleigh

🔺Please note: our studio is up a flight of stairs

Paint with Us at Artspace

This First Friday we are hosting Live Painting and Draw Draw Pass at Artspace. You can visit us at Artspace and in our studio space for our new show opening. 

You can find us on the first floor of Artspace in the Learning Studio.

June’s First Friday Artspace Details

🗓️Friday, June 6

⌚5:00 – 8:30 pm

📍201 E Davie St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Call for Participation

Theme Roulette

Background: Roulette wheel. Foreground: Theme Roulette call for participation. 1. Submit a theme idea by June 15, 2. get a random theme on June 22, 3. Make cool art from it for the August gallery show.

For our August gallery show, we’re going to let everyone in on the theme. If you have an interesting theme for a show and want to see how another artist would approach it, or if you want to collaborate with an artist on your ideas, now is your chance!

Sign Up For Theme Roulette

Upcoming Events

Drink & Draw

The stage at Wicked Witch with a setup for Drink & Draw figure drawing, featuring a round platform covered in leopard print sheets with a mirrored background.

Join us every Wednesday at the Wicked Witch for all-skill-levels figure drawing, and enjoy a beverage with a laidback group of like-minded folks. 

No pressure to perform! We’re all here to learn.

Drink & Draw Details

🎟️$12 to attend

🚪Doors at 7 pm 

🎨Figure model drawing from 7:30 – 9:30 pm

🥳Hang out til’ 11 pm

📍At the Wicked Witch, 416 W South St, Raleigh

📱Follow Drink & Draw on Instagram

This month’s fabulous models are: 

  • June 4: Jeff 
  • June 11: Rosen Riot
  • June 18: Clint Torres
  • June 25: TDB

Sketchy Summer Figure Drawing

Grey paper with a nude figure model drawn on it in charcoal. Text reads "Sketchy Summer Figure Drawing, 11 am - 1 pm, 1st and 3rd Saturdays"

Join Lou and Anna every first and third Saturday for Sketchy Summer Figure Drawing in the studio next to CoLab (#16)! 

Check out more, find out who is modeling, and sign up on Instagram: @sketchy_summer_drawings

Open Studios, Classes, & Workshops

Have A Workshop Idea? Fill Out This Form 🙂

No matter what it is, we’ll try and make it happen if we can!

Night Open Studio 

Dark sky background with tears revealing red grid paper. Text reads: "Night Open Studio, Make Art, Hang Out, Party" June 21, 8-11 pm, CoLab Studio.

Come make art at night, like it’s supposed to happen!

Hang out, make art, and party from 8 – 11 pm on Saturday, June 21.

🔊Feral music

😜Weirdo vibes

🌟Totally free!

Hosted by Caro

📍CoLab Open Studio, 14 Glenwood #17 (upstairs), Raleigh

New! Monthly Graffiti Meetup

Black and white graffiti background, text reads "All skill levels graffiti meetup, Sunday June 22, 11 am - 1 pm, NCSU Free Expression Tunnel"

Starting on June 22, Shady will host a monthly Graffiti Meetup for any CoLab folks wanting to practice graffiti. Shady’s 4-part graffiti class “Break The Walls” ends this week. 

Graffiti Meetup Details

  • Once a month, always the day after Night Open Studio
  • Will fall on a Sunday from 11 am – 1 pm
  • Meet at the NCSU Free Expression Tunnel which is a legal wall
  • You can park at the entrance to the wall
  • BYO supplies, knowledge will be shared!
Neon sign on black background reading "CoLab Open Studio 1-4 pm, 14 glenwood, #17" in teal and pink colors.

Sunday Open Studio

Each Sunday our studio is open to you, for free!

  • Work with others on collaborative art, or work on your own thing
  • Bring supplies or see what we have laying around to use
  • Check out our latest art show!

Collaborative Events

Raleigh Fusion Fest:

A Celebration of Diversity through Flags

The Raleigh Fusion Fest is a celebration bringing together the diverse communities of Raleigh and surrounding areas; featuring music, art, food, dance, and local traditions.

CoLab will be there 1-5 pm with two giant canvases to capture the community mood!

Fusion Fest Details

🗓️Saturday, June 7 from 1-5 pm

📍Moore Square in Raleigh

Witchcraft Art Market

We will also be at Witchcraft Market on Saturday, June 7 from 12-6 pm with live painting. Join us for cool merch, amazing cocktails, and great pasta.

Witchcraft Market Details

🗓️Saturday, June 7 from 12-6pm

📍Wicked Witch in Raleigh

Stitch and Bitch

With Half Moon Health & Wellness

Half Moon Mental Health & Wellness special edition Stitch & Bitch June 12 starting at 6 pm

CoLab is thrilled to host Half Moon Mental Health & Wellness’ Stitch and Bitch! 

Whether you’re into knitting, crochet, coloring, or any other craft, join us for a cozy evening of creativity, conversation, and community. Bring your current project, or start a new one!

Stitch & Bitch is held on the second Thursday of each month from 6-9 pm at CoLab.

🗓️June 12 from 6 – 9 pm

Learn more on their Instagram

And More…

Check our website for updates and other events this month that didn’t make it into the newsletter: thecolabraleigh.com   

Collaborative Paintings

Painting with a flower with an eyeball in the center surrounded by creatures and colors

Live Painting from last month’s First Friday “Figured Out” 

Painting with a skull wearing cat years and a rainbow road coming out of its mouth, surrounded by cats, turtles, animals, and a city skyline.

Collaborative Painting from Purr Cup Prelude to Pride

Did you know?

CoLab has painted with 3178 folks since 2022! with a purple one-eyed squid wearing a beret and holding a paintbrush

Conclusion

Want to teach a class? Do you know of an event happening around the triangle area? Just want to say hi? 

Email us:

thecolabraleigh@gmail.com

If you’d like to donate to support CoLab, here’s our PayPal link

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