Our Austin, TX - Southpark Meadows Painting with a Twist Artists

Gena McGill

Gena has been an Austin artist since the winter of 2006 - painting away at Painting With a Twist since 2010 and organizing after school art clubs and workshops for elementary aged kids. After earning her BFA in Studio Art from Oklahoma Baptist University in 2006, she took part in the Austin Visual Art Association's 30th Anniversary Juried Exhibition (2007) and exhibited at various open spaces around the Austin area. Gena now spends her time cultivating a love of exploration with her 2 small children, making coffee and kombucha with her husband, and working as an artist both inside and outside her home art studio. Gena is versatile in many art forms, including murals for home and workplace and customizing art workshops for your people/space. She is currently accepting commissions, contact Gena at genadestri@gmail.com.

Susanna Ruiz

I am a Christian, Artist, Nerd, Otaku, and Kpop fan all wrapped in a little package. I love my family and strongly believe in always being yourself.

Kelly Bonsall

"Inspired by the Beauty that surrounds us and the Beauty that is with in us, Kelly Bonsall creates artwork and experiences that evoke playfulness and pleasure while also sparking transformation and curiosity. Kelly has been an art educator and creativity guide since 2008, and her experience ranges from the middle and high school classroom to Painting with a Twist parties to Creativity workshops and beyond. In addition to earning a BA in Arts Education and Studio Art and a Teaching Credential, Kelly has also completed the Color of Woman Teacher Training and is a member of the Guild of Intentional Creativity. Kelly is a prolific working artist bringing the wonder and magic she cultivates in her life to the canvas and out into the world. She has exhibited in California and Austin, TX and shares her work online through her instagram gallery @kellybeth17. Kelly is inspired and learns deeply from her twins, Mae and Cooper and beams with pride for her son Julien who studies design at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. She enjoys beautiful meals and fun adventures with her lovely husband Sean and is extremely grateful to part of an amazing family and group of friends. When she’s not creating art or creativity curriculum, Kelly enjoys dancing, playing, and merging into the magic of the Universe."

Ari Reyes

Ari Reyes is an artist and illustrator located in Austin. She was born in the Canary Islands of Spain but moved to the United States in 2006. Ari is currently attaining her bachelor's degree in Art at St. Edward's University and aims to attain her Master's degree in the near future. Ari's main interests in art range from a love for the natural world (seen through her Pantheist beliefs and practices), a captivation for astronomy and neural science, as well as an appreciation for folklore and the mystic/wiccan. Currently, Ari has been deeply interested in more political works focusing on environmentalism and conservation, which she will be exploring further in the months to come. Aside from painting and illustration, Ari enjoys printmaking and photography. When she’s not busy with school or art, she also enjoys going hiking, gardening, petting dogs and cats, and watching horror movies.

Ella Yonikas-Praisner Watts

Ella is a lifetime Austinite and longtime artist— from ceramics and calligraphy to figure drawing and miniature scale models. After one year of art school, I decided that the high pressure and highly critical world of private school fine arts wasn’t quite for me, and instead got my degree in Advertising at UT Austin. Although I work in SEO and tech during the day, I still pursue all of my artistic passions outside of work, focusing on art that makes me happy and fulfilled. Painting and creating should be about trying new things, failing and learning, and most importantly, about making something you’re proud of. I love teaching new and seasoned artists alike, and my absolute favorite part of any class is seeing how each individual interpretation and version of the painting turned out—especially if you’ve added a dragon or two. My current work includes ink portraits, fluid acrylic painting, and digital illustration. Instagram @ewartwork