Painting with a Twist opens downtown location

Looking for a fun activity to do with loved ones? Painting with a Twist recently opened up a new downtown Detroit location at 1420 Washington Blvd.

Donna and Michelle Lewis co-own Detroit’s Painting with a Twist as well as two other franchise locations in Farmington and Ferndale. Donna Lewis took the time to explain their decision to open up a downtown studio.

“Me and my sister Michelle were born and raised in Detroit so downtown is even more special,” Lewis said. “It (Painting with a Twist) was just something that we knew we needed to bring to the city.”

Lewis said that her sister Michelle’s interest in Painting with a Twist was first sparked while working in New Orleans. A friend would drag her to classes and she eventually fell in love. Five years ago, she opened the very first Michigan location in Ferndale.

“The whole family works with Painting with a Twist,” Donna Lewis said. "My daughters work for Painting with a Twist. I have two other sisters that work with Painting with a Twist, we do this all together. This is a family thing.”

Donna Lewis said she h isn’t an artist, but learning how to paint in a Painting with a Twist studio is a fun experience that everybody should try.

“For people who think that they’re not artistic, that’s okay,” the co-owner said. “I felt the same way, but it’s so much fun. It’s relaxing. It’s therapeutic. It’s just an altogether great time, and you get to leave with your own masterpiece”

Since the grand opening on Nov. 16, Donna Lewis said that they have received so much love. Within only two weeks, they have had two sold out classes and tons of parties in their books.

“It’s just the atmosphere of the city,” Donna Lewis said. “There are so many people that wanted us to be downtown or in Detroit that wouldn’t go to the other locations until we came down here. We get phone calls all the time of people saying, ‘Oh! Now you’re downtown, I’m coming!’ I think people just love being in the city.”

Trae Isaac, a Painting with a Twist instructor, has been an artist for ten years and his main medium is acrylic. He has helped open an art gallery called ‘The Untitled Bottega’ that hosts showcases, art shows, poetry shows and hip-hop shows.

“I got hip to Painting with a Twist about seven to eight months ago, so it’s been recent,” Isaac said. “It’s been real fun and real easy for me, I don’t have any issues.”

Aside from just teaching at Painting with a Twist, Isaac is also serious about facilitating and teaching art for the benefit of youth. He said that because art and creative have been such a help to him in his life, he feels the need to take the lessons he learned and give back to people.

“I’m always painting, that’s the one thing I do besides breathing,” Isaac said.

Isaac was drawn to the new downtown location because it is close to his home and it is especially exciting to see more creative people coming to the city. As a teacher, he tries to make sure that the customers he teaches have a great and entertaining time.

“Even if you come by yourself or with a friend, you end up getting to know everybody around you just based off of the fact that you’re all painting the same thing,” Isaac said. “Also, with my art background, you get to leave with some actual art lessons as well. I’ve had people come back and tell me that they’ve started painting or have become repeat customers because of the fun they had.”

Stephen Brandell, a freshman majoring in anthropology, enjoys exploring downtown Detroit in his free time. Although he does not necessarily have a talent for creating visuals, art is something that he appreciates and recognizes as important.

Brandell said that he is always looking for new places to check out downtown and Painting with a Twist seems like an environment he would be comfortable being a beginner in, despite worrying about his painting skills.

“I think that Detroit is a very up and coming city right now. It’s on the verge of becoming something that it hasn’t been in recent years,” Brandell said. “It has this new, young culture that’s coming back. It’s really cool to see businesses like Painting with a Twist come here to grow and expand.”

Please visit their event calendar for event times, painting previews and registration information.

Customers interested in reserving sessions for parties can call 313-960-4793 or send an email

to studio099@paintingwithatwist.com. Office hours are Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.

For more information, contact reporter Aleanna Siacon at fv7748@wayne.edu or (586)3545040. Follow her on Twitter: @Aterese11.

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