MORGANTOWN — Tracy Jones greeted everyone who walked into one of the back rooms of The Wax Bar by Tracy with audible and visual excitement. Warmth exuded from her smile as she beckoned her guests further in and encouraged them to take a look at the vertically stacked canvases on a table against the wall or grab a bite to eat.
The Wax Bar by Tracy had several additions to its décor Friday evening. Long tables, covered in white tablecloths and set with bowls of snack mix and buckets of ice cradling bottles of sparkling juices, found homes wherever they could.
Glass pitchers filled with fruity sangria sat awaiting visitors.
Outlined, numbered canvases – shrink-wrapped so as to be accompanied by their corresponding paints and paintbrushes – were displayed and ready to be claimed by artists.
This was the setup for Jones’ Juneteenth Paint & Sip event, held in the business she owns and operates on the lower level of downtown Morgantown’s Seneca Center.
This is the first year Jones has held such an event, but Juneteenth is a cultural occasion celebrated without fail every year by the African American community.
Juneteenth is marked June 19 and commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. It was first celebrated in Texas, where on June 19, 1865 – in the aftermath of the Civil War – enslaved people were declared free in accordance with the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.
Jones was urged by clients to host an event to allow clients, friends and family to mingle and socialize. The COVID-19 pandemic has made that practice difficult for the last year.
When Jones encountered success with the launch of her business’ CBD skincare line in April, she was inclined to host another event.
Ultimately, she wanted to bring people together to celebrate on a platform of importance.
“It’s more communal than anything else,” Jones said.
The event was conceptualized and planned in the span of two weeks. The event was promoted via an ad on social media and registration was $50. People interested in attending either stopped by the business or called to pay for their materials.
During the planning period for the event, Jones was particularly nervous about the canvases, which she had ordered from the Amazing Paint Party, arriving in time for the event.
The canvases made their appearance in time. In accordance with the theme of the Paint & Sip, all of the paint-by-number-style canvases had the outline of a different Black icon – an individual who has contributed to African American culture, whether it be in the field of music, politics, arts or sports.
Some of the icons included Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, Prince, Barack and Michelle Obama, Aaliyah, Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.
In addition to sangria, snacks and painting, guests also had the opportunity to participate in raffles and giveaways to win prizes during the event.
When asked if the turnout was what she had expected or hoped for, Jones responded: “Absolutely – and maybe even better, to be quite honest.”
Jones has plans to hold other Paint & Sip events in the future. She intends to host an event once a month through summer. Each event will feature a different theme with new canvases for guests to paint.
On Thursday, President Joe Biden and Gov. Jim Justice declared Juneteenth both a federal holiday and a West Virginia state holiday, respectively – and rightfully so, according to Jones, who said Juneteenth should be recognized in such a way.
She said Juneteenth represents a great deal to the African American community and other people should be made aware of it.
“It’s just as important as any other holiday,” she said.
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