How Painting With A Twist Turns “I Can’t Paint” Into “I Made This”

Meet The Host: Shelby Rocker, Communications Manager At Painting With A Twist

Think you can’t paint? Shelby Rocker has built a studio experience that will change your mind. We sit down with Painting with A Twist communications lead for the Jensen Beach, Orlando, Lake Mary, and Claremont locations to explore how a simple, social format turns doubt into pride, one brushstroke at a time. From the first hello to the final photo, you’ll hear how clear steps, upbeat guidance, and a relaxed vibe help guests create work they’re excited to show off.

Shelby traces her path from classroom art teacher to sip-and-paint evangelist, explaining why instruction and permission to improvise are the secret ingredients. We unpack what happens in the room—artists break down complex images into small wins, guests add their own twists, and a little bar service keeps things light and social. The result is a room full of people who walked in saying “I can’t draw a stick figure” and walk out saying “I made this.” It’s creativity as confidence-building, not gatekeeping.

We also pull back the curtain on the marketing that keeps classes buzzing. Google event listings capture “things to do tonight” searches, Instagram and Facebook showcase real results and themed nights, and word of mouth accelerates when friends see finished canvases. Onstage announcements highlight special add-ons like make-your-own candle evenings, giving regulars new reasons to return and first-timers an easy hook. Along the way, Shelby shares her own creative experiments, like wood burning, to show how one win often opens the door to the next.

If you’re curious about how to design an unforgettable night out, grow community through art, or build a marketing flywheel for local events, this conversation offers practical ideas and warm inspiration. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a creative boost, and leave a review to tell us your favorite part.

To learn more about Painting with a Twist visit:
https://www.TwistTalks.com
Painting with a Twist 
Multiple Locations in Florida

Transcript

Welcome And Show Purpose

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Welcome to Twist Talks, Painting with a Twist, the show where creativity, fun, and community come to life. Hosted by Shelby Rocker, the communications manager for our Jensen Beach, Orlando, Lake Mary, and Claremont studios, each episode answers your biggest FAQs and shares tips to make your painting with a twist experience unforgettable. Whether you're here to sip, socialize, or create, this is your place to relax, laugh, and discover the joy of painting with friends. Let's get inspired. Your canvas is waiting.

SPEAKER_02 0:39

Welcome everyone.

Meet Shelby And The Studios

SPEAKER_02 0:40

I'm Chelsea Early Wine, co-host and producer here in the studio with Shelby Rocker, Communications Manager at Painting with a Twist. Shelby, how are you today?

SPEAKER_01 0:50

I'm doing good. Uh thank you for coming here and talking with me. And I'm ready to answer questions so that people can get to know the studios.

SPEAKER_02 1:00

Great. We are very excited. So over the years, Shelby, you've grown a remarkable following, but some of our listeners might not be familiar with your full journey. So let's just take it from the top. Could you share a little background about your company and what you do?

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Um,

How The Classes Work

SPEAKER_01 1:17

yeah. So we are actually, you know, just a sip and paint studio. Uh these four are, you know, all around the South Florida area. And what you do is, I think it started was there was time to do something and get closer with others. And a lot of people, you know, think they can't paint. And we we bring in these artists who can really break down the steps. I actually was um an instructor in the Stuart studio, and I had a little bit of painting experience. I've been to a class, but what's great is we had people who came in who say, I can't even draw a stick figure. That's the one we heard a lot. I have like no creative bones in my body. And they get they get to go home with this painting that they're saying, I painted this, I'm really proud of this. And the addition is we have these little bars so you can have these a little bit of like uh confidence in a in a bottle, as they say. And that certainly does help a little bit. And it's just such a unique experience. And that's what drew me to start working with them is because I just had never heard of something like that before. And I I love continuing working with them.

SPEAKER_02 2:28

Oh, it sounds like so

Marketing That Fills The Room

SPEAKER_02 2:30

much fun. So, Shelby, we know we all know that marketing is key to any business's success. How do you all market your business?

SPEAKER_01 2:39

Um, well, my best friend is probably, you know, Instagram, Facebook, uh Google, surprisingly, like if you don't know what to do in evening evening and you just look it up online, like things to do in my area, if you post events and stuff to Google, it's gonna pop up. And so you're gonna see, whoa, uh this event's happening at nine tonight. Well, sounds great. Let's just click the link and sign up. We have people come in and they're like, My friend told me I did this event the other day. Um, because we have events like every single day. So you have friends who are gonna spread the word of mouth said, I this weekend I went to a painting with a twist class. They can show the painting, and they're like, I've never seen you paint before in your life. And they're like, it was that easy. I just followed the instructions. So and we also advertise from the stage. So the artist will say, We're having this special make a candle event happening where you can come and make your own candle too. Just we want to like spread these skills that you just have never thought about trying before.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

Oh, that's so much fun. So, more than just painting, other things as well. That's very exciting. Yeah.

Beyond Painting And Wood Burning

SPEAKER_02 3:51

So, Shelby, when you're not busy with the business, what do you do in your spare time for fun?

SPEAKER_01 4:00

I've recently taken up uh wood burning as a little side project of mine. Art has always been like uh rooted in me. So I try to find as many different skills, and right now my brain has decided, let's do some wood burning. Like it's like a little sharp pen and it gets really, really hot, and you draw on the design and everything. You have to do it with an open window, I will say. And I don't see wood burning ever coming as an option to painting with a twist, but I do highly recommend it for crafty people looking for more slightly dangerous crafts.

SPEAKER_02 4:34

Oh, well, that sounds very exciting. So, uh Shelby, in your own words, I know you're you're very busy, you're a very busy

Why Sharing Art Matters

SPEAKER_02 4:42

person. In your own words, why are you doing this?

SPEAKER_01 4:46

Um, I just love sharing art. Before painting with a twist, I was a school art teacher. I was teaching kids art and seeing the kids come in with like, you know, no confidence. I had a lot of kids who were just telling me, like, I don't want to be in the art class, I don't think I do good. And by the end of the year, they were saying like how much they love it. And I was like their favorite art teacher. And I wasn't able to continue working there. And with painting with a twist, it's the same thing. We could introduce people to a whole new hobby that they never would have before. And I just love seeing people get the joy of expressing themselves. One of my favorite things to do on stage was say, hey, I'm gonna paint this little thing. If you want to change it up however you want, and you know, add a little bit of your personality in there, go. And I see everyone's face smile as I walk around the room. Everyone's painting's got a little different shape tree or like a little different flower. It's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 5:39

Oh, that's so special. Building confidence through painting.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

That's what I preach all the time is confidence, confidence, and it's it's great for people's self-esteem, I think.

SPEAKER_02 5:50

Oh, that is so special. Well, Shelby, we're out of time for today. Thank you for giving us this high-level overview. What we'll do as we move through these episodes is we'll dive into some more frequently asked questions.

Wrap Up And Next Steps

SPEAKER_02 6:03

But thank you so much for being here today.

SPEAKER_01 6:05

Of course. Thank you for having me. And I I love talking about my passions.

SPEAKER_02 6:10

I love it. All right, Shelby. Well, we will see you on the next one. We'll see ya.

SPEAKER_00 6:18

Thanks for joining us on Twist Talks, painting with a twist, where we sip, socialize, and create unforgettable moments. We hope today's tips help you make your next visit even more memorable. To learn more, find a studio near you, or explore upcoming events, head to twisttalks.com. Until next time, keep laughing, keep creating, and keep adding your own twist.