Mckinney Courier-gazette > News
Social art studio aids community with fundraisers, teambuilding
Submitted Photo -- Friends and family of Shawna Graham-Herring show off their cross paintings March 31 at Painting with a Twist-McKinney. Shawna died of cervical cancer just weeks prior, and the social art studio held the event as a fundraiser for her family.
By Chris Beattie, cbeattie@starlocalnews.com
Brandishing brushes and Bordeaux, they quirkily paint for their community. On teams of family, friends and office fellows, their art matters.
Painting with a Twist puts the fun in fundraiser.
"It's interesting to me that every event that occurs here has a cool story behind it," said Kimberly Cotton, owner of Painting with a Twist (PWAT)-McKinney. "I love that we're an art and social studio and we can help people, too."
Painting with a Twist offers weekly classes where fun-and-relaxation seekers can unwind with an easel and a beverage. Guided by a professional artist, participants paint their own rendition of that particular class's picture, generally architecture- or botanical-themed.
Within a few hours, they create a work of art, an unexpected masterpiece in amateurs' eyes -- and they do it between gulps and giggles.
But fun isn't the only platform for their creativity. Monthly "Painting with a Purpose" events garner class proceeds for worthy causes.
Founders Renee Maloney and Cathy Deano, both fundraisers in their previous careers, kept a focus on community when they began franchising PWAT in 2009. Each of the 60 locations around the country holds Painting with a Purpose events to raise funds that stay local in its respective market.
McKinney PWAT has welcomed that focus with an open canvas. Since January, the studio has raised more than $2,000 for different charities. It hosted two Relay for Life teams and recently held a session for the Helping Art Liberate Orphans (HALO) Foundation to support the Ashirvad Orphanage in Tuni, India.
"I am not out searching for them; these are customers and potential customers who seek us out," Cotton said of fundraiser initiators. "We partner up and become a team to raise money. We're blessed to be able to participate in their passion."
A recent national PWAT initiative, in which 30 franchises participated, raised more than $26,000 for the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer. Other fundraisers remain local, started for a hurting family member or friend.
McKinney PWAT allowed a woman to host an event March 31 in honor of her friend, Shawna Graham-Herring, who died of cervical cancer the previous month. Shawna's family and friends packed the studio and painted a cross immersed in teal, the color for cervical cancer awareness. It was almost a grief therapy session for many, Cotton said.
"I went home that night and lost it," she said. "It was one of those nights when you just sit back and can't even imagine what they're going through. Then, at the end of the day, you realize you got to help them with that."
Fundraiser or not, such camaraderie at PWAT initially attracted Cotton, who worked for a banking company for 12 years before she opened the McKinney studio in January 2010, shortly after spending a girls' night out at another PWAT location.
"I thought, 'Wow, I've never been to this side of my brain before,'" she said. "I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever done."
McKinney PWAT employs five local artists who teach participants that art doesn't have to be frustrating or embarrassing. It can spark the creativity some don't realize they have.
It thrives on interpretation, so no two paintings are the same -- and that's OK, Cotton said.
"If you want fine art classes, call Collin College," she said. "But if you want fun art, come here, and you're going to leave with a completed piece of work."
As of late, you may leave with more. McKinney PWAT since January has taken the "art" of teambuilding to another dimension.
While PWAT studios have always fostered team unity among sports teams and friend groups, Cotton has expanded the collaboration to corporations.
Companies send their office staff to a PWAT outing to bond and build each other up in the names of business and friendship.
When Bacardi contacted Cotton in January, they partnered for PWAT's first team mural, a larger, painted message that dozens of employees could work on together.
Forty staff members celebrated Bacardi's 150th anniversary by painting a mural now hanging up at its Plano office.
Cotton split them into 10 teams, and each worked on one slate of the mural, which, when combined, showed off the company's logo, core values and brand messages.
"It was interesting to me to see the different team members take on the roles of a traditional management team," Cotton said of their painting experience. "They were really into it."
So were 85 PrimeLending employees who designed a similar mural Friday at the Holiday Inn Express in Dallas. They also focused on the company's core convictions, and strewn them out across 16 canvases.
Cotton said she hopes the large-group teambuilding continues. It and fundraisers are quickly becoming PWAT's signature works.
The studio will always be a "man-cave for chicks," she said, but their cave has opened up.
Though fairly basic, and often fueled by wine and gossip, their art matters.
"I'm definitely starting to see different reasons to come here," Cotton said. "Really, it can be any reason. The ideas are endless."
Painting with a Twist-McKinney is located at 3201 Hardin Blvd., Suite 204. For information about upcoming classes and events, go to www.paintingwithatwist.com/mckinney/, or call 972-542-1883.
Painting with a Twist puts the fun in fundraiser.
"It's interesting to me that every event that occurs here has a cool story behind it," said Kimberly Cotton, owner of Painting with a Twist (PWAT)-McKinney. "I love that we're an art and social studio and we can help people, too."
Painting with a Twist offers weekly classes where fun-and-relaxation seekers can unwind with an easel and a beverage. Guided by a professional artist, participants paint their own rendition of that particular class's picture, generally architecture- or botanical-themed.
Within a few hours, they create a work of art, an unexpected masterpiece in amateurs' eyes -- and they do it between gulps and giggles.
But fun isn't the only platform for their creativity. Monthly "Painting with a Purpose" events garner class proceeds for worthy causes.
Founders Renee Maloney and Cathy Deano, both fundraisers in their previous careers, kept a focus on community when they began franchising PWAT in 2009. Each of the 60 locations around the country holds Painting with a Purpose events to raise funds that stay local in its respective market.
McKinney PWAT has welcomed that focus with an open canvas. Since January, the studio has raised more than $2,000 for different charities. It hosted two Relay for Life teams and recently held a session for the Helping Art Liberate Orphans (HALO) Foundation to support the Ashirvad Orphanage in Tuni, India.
"I am not out searching for them; these are customers and potential customers who seek us out," Cotton said of fundraiser initiators. "We partner up and become a team to raise money. We're blessed to be able to participate in their passion."
A recent national PWAT initiative, in which 30 franchises participated, raised more than $26,000 for the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer. Other fundraisers remain local, started for a hurting family member or friend.
McKinney PWAT allowed a woman to host an event March 31 in honor of her friend, Shawna Graham-Herring, who died of cervical cancer the previous month. Shawna's family and friends packed the studio and painted a cross immersed in teal, the color for cervical cancer awareness. It was almost a grief therapy session for many, Cotton said.
"I went home that night and lost it," she said. "It was one of those nights when you just sit back and can't even imagine what they're going through. Then, at the end of the day, you realize you got to help them with that."
Fundraiser or not, such camaraderie at PWAT initially attracted Cotton, who worked for a banking company for 12 years before she opened the McKinney studio in January 2010, shortly after spending a girls' night out at another PWAT location.
"I thought, 'Wow, I've never been to this side of my brain before,'" she said. "I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever done."
McKinney PWAT employs five local artists who teach participants that art doesn't have to be frustrating or embarrassing. It can spark the creativity some don't realize they have.
It thrives on interpretation, so no two paintings are the same -- and that's OK, Cotton said.
"If you want fine art classes, call Collin College," she said. "But if you want fun art, come here, and you're going to leave with a completed piece of work."
As of late, you may leave with more. McKinney PWAT since January has taken the "art" of teambuilding to another dimension.
While PWAT studios have always fostered team unity among sports teams and friend groups, Cotton has expanded the collaboration to corporations.
Companies send their office staff to a PWAT outing to bond and build each other up in the names of business and friendship.
When Bacardi contacted Cotton in January, they partnered for PWAT's first team mural, a larger, painted message that dozens of employees could work on together.
Forty staff members celebrated Bacardi's 150th anniversary by painting a mural now hanging up at its Plano office.
Cotton split them into 10 teams, and each worked on one slate of the mural, which, when combined, showed off the company's logo, core values and brand messages.
"It was interesting to me to see the different team members take on the roles of a traditional management team," Cotton said of their painting experience. "They were really into it."
So were 85 PrimeLending employees who designed a similar mural Friday at the Holiday Inn Express in Dallas. They also focused on the company's core convictions, and strewn them out across 16 canvases.
Cotton said she hopes the large-group teambuilding continues. It and fundraisers are quickly becoming PWAT's signature works.
The studio will always be a "man-cave for chicks," she said, but their cave has opened up.
Though fairly basic, and often fueled by wine and gossip, their art matters.
"I'm definitely starting to see different reasons to come here," Cotton said. "Really, it can be any reason. The ideas are endless."
Painting with a Twist-McKinney is located at 3201 Hardin Blvd., Suite 204. For information about upcoming classes and events, go to www.paintingwithatwist.com/mckinney/, or call 972-542-1883.
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