National painting studio Painting with a Twist opened its first Gainesville location in early March and celebrated a ribbon cutting on April 2.
Painting with a Twist offers people the opportunity to produce a painting, guided by an artist employee, in about two hours for about $35 per person, depending on the painting. The store provides canvas, paint and brushes, and is open for private parties, children’s birthday parties, couples nights and bridal showers, as well as other events.
Franchise owner Cindy O’Steen owns the Gainesville store and and one in St. Augustine. O’Steen said in her first month in St. Augustine she had about 20 painters total, but in three weeks here has had about 180, many of which she said either came from Lake City or were students who come from a city that already had a Painting with a Twist.
“The greatest thing is always seeing people’s reactions to their own paintings,” O’Steen said. “People say, ‘I can’t even paint stick figures,’ but their paintings always turn out fabulous.”
O’Steen said that she currently employs eight part-time artists, but wants to hire more at the Painting with a Twist standard of $20 per hour.
“It’s a great job for artistic students who need make some extra money,” she said.
