Painting with a Twist

Painting with a Twist (formerly Corks N Canvas) is the largest employer of aspiring artists in the country. The company recognized early on that the talents and enthusiasm of the staff were key elements to the success of the product. In just five years, Painting with a Twist, along with our 323 franchise locations, has produced and owns the copyright to over 3,500 pieces of art. Each artwork was conceptualized and executed by the instructors with the idea of being an easy to follow piece of art for the inexperienced painter. The artwork ranges from landscapes, abstracts and cityscapes, to creative renderings of seafood, animals, iconic buildings and florals.

After Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, friends Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney found a way to twist a tragedy into a purpose. The storm flooded Deano's house and destroyed Maloney's husband's three truck stops in Mandeville, Louisiana, but the two fundraising enthusiasts wanted to focus on helping their community recover.

Knowing their neighbors needed to destress, they thought it'd be fun to hold events where people could learn to paint, drink wine and relax. They jointly invested $10,000 and, in 2007, opened Painting with a Twist, which offered two- to three-hour painting classes four times a week. They kept prices low, $35 to $45. "It was bring your own wine. We supplied everything else," said Maloney.