We were lucky to catch up with Danielle Leveston recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Danielle thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

Both of my parents played a part in my upbringing, but my mother must be highlighted for this story. As an artist herself, my mother is truly the person who instilled in me a passion for visual art. If you ask her, she would not consider herself an artist. However, she has truly done every thing under the sun that is creative. Painting, sewing, jewelry making, you name it. My mother is also the blueprint for putting my best effort into my craft. From her, I’ve learned that quality is extremely important, as well as providing the best possible customer service to my clients. Through her own work, she has taught me to double check the details and go above and beyond to make my customers happy.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am an art educator and have been teaching visual art for over 10 years, However, I am also the creator and owner of Paintin & Poppin Traveling Paint Parties, LLC. Paintin & Poppin is a mobile paint party business. I travel to clients homes and teach them and their guests how to paint! I also teach paint parties virtually. Paintin & Poppin has been in existence for a little over 3 years now. As an art teacher, I had a few colleagues and friends suggest that I start teaching paint parties. But for several reasons, I just wasn’t quite sure about it. At the time, I was totally focused on making jewelry and creating my own artwork. However, after a bit more nudging from someone I know, I decided to put on a paint and sip for a few friends of mine. After that successful event, I knew I had something! One great thing about my service is that my clients do not need to leave their home. Another great thing is that my clients can work with me to create a custom image for their guests to paint. I am constantly working on my brand and currently in the process of narrowing down my services, but I am most proud of my persistence. Being a small business owner is not easy. There are a lot of ups and downs, so I am proud of myself for continuing to push forward.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I distinctly remember having to pivot when COVID hit in 2020. I’d just started my business in August 2019 and around March 2020, I was really on a roll with paint parties. When the world “shut down,” I had to cancel about 3 parties I’d booked. I was at a loss at first, but after about a month, I decided to start making paint kits to sell on my Etsy shop. I also transitioned to teaching virtual paint parties via Zoom. I was booked and busy from mid-2020 to mid-2021 solely through virtual parties and paint kits!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society can support real ARTISTS and not just programmers who make art. I am not against AI art at all, but there are real artists out here creating beautiful work, including digital artists. Their work should go viral just like many of the AI work that goes viral. Other than that, people need to support their friends, family, and other people in their network.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.paintinandpoppinparties.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paintinandpoppinparties/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paintinandpoppin