Our Houston, TX - Champion Forest Painting with a Twist Artists

Carly First - Owner

Hey I'm Carly! I am the owner & operator, as well an artist here at Twist - Champion Forest! I began as an artist at a previous location before the studio was transferred to my ownership. We relocated here to Champion Forest in 2020 & have been pARTying eve since! While I’m usually behind the scenes, Kids Camp & Paint-Your-Pet events are my FAVORITE to teach. Outside of Painting with a Twist, I am with my beautiful family: my husband Ben, our sons Davis & Luke, & our dogs Tucker & Bear! I spend my free time painting, reading, & going to the movies or concerts. I love music, some of my favorite artists being Taylor Swift, Gregory Alan Isakov, Manchester Orchestra, Led Zeppelin, Zach Bryan, Lord Huron, Say Anything, Noah Kahan, Fleetwood Mac, Lana Del Rey, Hozier… we could be here all day. I'm always up for an adventure and my favorite places to visit are the hill country, Big Bend, and Mexico. I went to Alaska once and I swear it rearranged my brain chemistry. Music, travel, and love are my biggest muses in this life. I’m constantly brainstorming ways to excite all of our guests & I hope our studio feels like a sanctuary of fun, relaxation, & really sparks something within you!

Amanda Jeffery - Lead Artist

Hi! My name is Amanda Jeffery and I have always been a creative person. I consider myself a nerd and proud of it. Game of Thrones, Star Wars, Harry Potter, ACOTAR, Lights Out, Zodiac Academy, vampires in general...you name it, I'm a fan. I have a 20 year old daughter and I believe everyone is capable of creating art, and the best kind is made with fun. My favorite events to teach at Twist are all of the Trivia/Themed paintings, and anything under the blacklights!

Jen Ferguson - Lead Artist

Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve known I wanted to be an artist since I was a kid watching Disney movies back at home in Canada. I have a BFA in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design and eventually went on to work for Hasbro where I painted Star Wars action figure prototypes. In my personal art I am the self proclaimed queen of cute, creating adorable character focused illustrations but, in my spare time, I love to fangirl over music (especially Kpop), go to concerts, watch movies and TV shows, and read. I love to travel and have been to over 30 countries. I think travel really influences my art because it is inspired by cultures all over the world. I am also very inspired by my adorable dog Chewie who is basically a stuffed animal come to life. I’m so excited to get to share my love of art with our guests and I can’t wait to teach you soon!

Cat Loehr

Twist artist Cat has loved doing art since she was a toddler! At four she got her start as a muralist on the stairwell wall, much to her mother’s disappointment! She has come a long way since with her art and murals, both painted on walls, and street art chalk festivals every fall (Kerrville Chalk& Via Colori in DT Houston), as well as doing many fun portrait and pet portrait commissions. In addition to making her own art she is the 7th and 8th grade art teacher at Doerre Intermediate, mother of two boys and two fur babies, and artist here at Painting with a Twist! She loves bold and bright colors, emotional art, and most of all she has a passion for sharing her love and ability to create art with everyone, regardless of age or current ability! At Twist, she loves teaching floral paintings, Paint Your Pet, and her specialty Tarot Card Reading Open Workshop events! Come create and have some fun with Cat!!

Agnes Stelmach

Hi, I'm Agnes! My passion for art began at a young age after meeting a family friend who was a painter. His work hung in my home, inspiring me to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. I studied fine art in college and earned a BFA in Studio Art from Sam Houston State University in 2013. Today, I paint with oils in my home studio and showcase my work at art fairs and local markets around Texas. I’m also passionate about astronomy, often sketching what I observe through my telescope. My love for animals leads me to the Houston Zoo, where I sketch animals from life to incorporate into my paintings. In my free time, I enjoy video games, knitting, spinning yarn, and backpacking around Texas. I especially love teaching master classes, focusing on intricate landscapes or detailed animals!

Yesenia Salas

Megan Fuxa

Megan Fuxa is a high school art teacher by day, joy-spreader by design, and a former military gal who swapped boots for brushes. A proud University of Mary Hardin-Baylor grad, she’s fluent in acrylics, ceramics, and spontaneous doodling during staff meetings (allegedly). Her art is fueled by equal parts caffeine, color, and the belief that beauty belongs everywhere—even on a chipped mug or an old canvas. Drawing inspiration from her time in service and her love for everyday magic, Megan creates pieces that aim to comfort, surprise, or make you smile without knowing why. If it makes your day a little brighter, she’s done her job.

Jaydi Richter

Hi there! My name is Jaydi and I’m a member of the fighting Texas Aggie class of 2018 (whoop!) I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a minor in Psychology, though art has my heart and occupies most of my free time. I am a self-taught artist and I love to explore a wide variety of art styles and mediums. I do all kinds of work from digital illustrations, graphic design, oil painting portraits, to large scale outdoor murals. Outside of art I have a passion for fitness and a National Personal Training Certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. A fun fact about me is I have an obsession with spicy foods and put hot sauce on just about everything!