Ayla has always loved art. With a B.A. in Fine Arts, Ayla is well versed in painting, drawing, sculpting and multimedia. After completing college she still continues to make create and currently runs her own small art business. Ayla has worked for Painting with a Twist for a since 2018 and loves what she does. Her favorite paintings to teach are girlfriend art and loves to get the class laughing. Friendly, funny, and patient.
Bailey hails from Newark, DE and earned her BFA in Fine Arts from the University of Delaware. She loves painting, ceramics, illustration and resin casting. Fun Fact: Bailey drinks way too much coffee & has two cats named Curtis & Stuart. To Bailey, being an artist at PWAT means that she gets the opportunity to show people that anyone can create a beautiful work of art. She hopes to inspire our Twisters to continue being creative as self expression!
Emily is from Lewes, De. That is where she went to high school and majored in Art before moving upstate to Newark. Every artist had an amazing teacher at some point in their life, naturally Emily is excited to have this opportunity to teach! It was the art teacher at Newark that helped her fall in love with painting as a passion and develop the great urge to share it with the rest of the world! She believes that art can be one of the most relaxing ways to pass time with friends and family. Emily wants to go back to school to become a licensed art therapist for children!
Jake believes that everyone is an artist, some people just practice more than others. His art education started, like everyone’s, in his highchair with fistfuls of pureed peas and carrots. He later studied Art and Music Education at Rowan University in his homeland of New Jersey. He has dabbled in a multitude of traditional and unconventional media and hopes to never stop finding new ways to produce art. Jake delights in empowering others' creativity and loves that at PWAT the power to create is just a brush stroke (and maybe a beverage or two) away. He strives to have every twister leave the studio with a creation they are proud of, a fresh dose of confidence, and a chuckle on their lips.
Jenn was born in Pennsylvania, but has lived in Middletown most of her life, so she considers herself a local. Arts and crafts have always been part of her life. She is a UD alum with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts and has participated in three shows. Jenn considers herself a history buff and draws her inspiration from her favorite artists, Edward Hopper and Claude Monet. Along with painting, she also favors photography and sewing/needlecraft. A fun fact, Jenn's favorite things to draw are chickens, ever since her family got them as pets. She is excited to be part of the PWAT Team, to be able extend the artist' experience to everyone who wants to get in touch with their creative side.
Katrina has roots in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She took illustration and other art courses through Cecil College and is now a Multimedia Design student at Penn State University. Katrina has a passion for digital art, watercolors and writing. She has two young children who love art as much as she does! Saturday mornings are drawing and painting together as a family, sometimes even before breakfast. Katrina loves the opportunity to share her love of art with others. She hopes to give Twisters a fun and memorable experience.
A native of the Jersey Shore, Linda moved to the Newark area in 2007 and has been here ever since. Although art was not the career path she originally pursued, it’s always been part of her life, in no small part due to her grandmother, an award-winning decoy artist and painter. Linda studied Biodiversity and Conservation Biology at Cedar Crest College, and then spent a decade preserving and protecting Delaware’s natural areas while working for Delaware State Parks and Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library. All the time she has spent out in nature has served as an inspiration for her artwork, which mainly consists of illustrations of Delmarva-native flora and fauna. Linda joined Painting with a Twist in 2014, and you can always count on her for random nature facts during class. Linda resides in Elkton, Maryland with her husband and two beautiful daughters. When she’s not making art, she enjoys gardening with native plants, boating along the Chesapeake, hiking, and listening to lots of Jimmy Buffett.
Lizzie was born and raised in Smyrna, Delaware. She is a self-taught artist and has been a PWAT/Paint and Sip junkie since 2013 and occasionally paints at home too! She like to crochet, but usually only finishes hats. Lizzie is excited about being a PWAT Artist because help appreciate and teach the little things. Fun art is all about simple steps and the basic that help make your piece shine. She loves helping others and wants them to leave PWAT super proud of their work and know it is not always hard to try new things.
Initially, some of us feel nervous to try something new. The courage and dedication devoted to mastering our talents is certainly a huge part of Sarah's art. This self-taught artist comes to us from Edgewood, Maryland. Her love for fantasy art has led her to paint in large scales, often depicting dragons in scenic environments. For Sarah, the Painting with a Twist experience is an escape in which people find it easy to have fun and connect with each other.
Sarah is a Delawarean who attended St. Marks High School and the University of Delaware. She earned a BFA in painting and then pursed a degree in elementary education. During the day, she’s a middle school math teacher proving that artists can be good at math too! To Sarah, being part of the initial team to open Painting with A Twist Newark mean a lot. Her fun and charismatic personality often result on Twisters coming back for another painting. Since PWAT Newark opened in 2014, Sarah has welcomed baby Gabby, Dean & Evelyn into the world but still loves to spend time with our Twisters.
Steph is a Delaware transplant, originally from Rochester, NY and a previously self-proclaimed non-artist. After a 25 year career in Corporate America, she is now a co-owner, with husband Bill, and a firm believer that anyone can find their inner artist, all it takes is great instructor and a stress-free, fun environment! When not in the studio, she loves spending time with family, including son Jake, and friends & the beach is her happy place! Steph loves getting to know our Twisters and bringing PWAT art to the community! There is nothing better than the smiles at the end of an event, when our guests leave with a masterpiece they love!
Trina is a self-taught artist from Wilmington, Delaware, She has a passion for creating with all types of media. She creates pottery, stained glass, jewelry and so much more. Painting space and galaxies has become a very personal outlet for Trina's journey in life. Fun fact, Trina is an avid puzzler! Helping our Twisters find their own creative expression has become another passion for Trina, fueling her drive to teach others in a unique and fun way!
Wysteria is a self taught artist from Pennsylvania and comes from a family of fellow artists and creatives. She specializes in multimedia dolls and acrylic painting. Wysteria adores adding an air of whimsy or cuteness to her work, though she has fallen into the wonderful world of horror. So if you are a horror fan, you may recognize her face in a random indi horror film or two! Wysteria is a variable Alice in Wonderland so to speak. Painting and creating provides Wysteria a feeling of enjoyment that she is unable to find elsewhere. She feels peaceful, connected and capable. Wysteria feels a sense of freedom, with the opportunity to paint anything. She believes that an artist isn't measured by their skills, background or abilities, but by sitting down and doing it. Whatever it is, do the thing, make the art. Then you ARE an artist. She wants to share that feeling of joy with others, and at PWAT she can!