Sophomore Madison Scott has helped fund her TCU education by working at a business that combines classical art, fine wine and bring-your-own beer.

The franchise “Painting with a Twist” opened in Fort Worth last year and was started by Madison’s mother.

According to the company’s website, clients learn how to paint a preselected piece and have the option of bringing their own beverages and snacks. Participants can see which painting would be featured each day by checking the Fort Worth location’s calendar and signing up for the painting of their choice, according to the website.

Madison said the company had more than 2,000 paintings copyrighted by various artists working for the business.
Madison and her mother, Pat Scott, first discovered the concept while visiting the Grapevine location of “Painting with a Twist.”

In the past, Pat had taught art at schools and said she thought, “I could do that,” and she said she started inquiring about how to get her own store started.

Although Madison is a speech pathology major, she had grown up around her mother’s art environment and now teaches and assists at her mother’s store. With the entertaining painting sessions, she has gained confidence by getting on a platform to teach and learning how to interact with a variety of people, she said.

After attending Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi and then Texas Woman’s University, Madison said she transferred to TCU this semester to both challenge herself academically and to further develop her character.

She said she aspired to work with children with autism through dolphin therapy one day.

One of the paintings Madison designed for the franchise’s monthly event “Painting with a Purpose” will benefit Autism Speaks, an organization that works to raise awareness and research funding for autism. The picture depicted colorful puzzle pieces to represent “solving the puzzle of autism,” she said.

Jacob Clark, a senior nursing major, attended last year’s grand opening of the Fort Worth store in February.

Clark described Madison’s teaching style as inviting and friendly. He said the experience was great “whether you are an artist or never picked up a paint brush.”

He painted Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and his friend added a surfer to his own version of the classic piece, he said. He recommended the location to fellow Frogs, especially for a date night idea.

Madison said other university students and alumni painted a horned frog at a special session last week. A horned frog painting was featured last week and many university students and alumni attended, Madison said. TCU sorority functions, including mother-daughter events, also have been held there, she said.

Pat said she had faculty from the University of North Texas come to paint in the past and would like to host TCU faculty in the future.

Artist Janna Williams, who has been working at “Painting with a Twist” since its opening, said she enjoyed working with university students and has found them to be respectful and willing to learn. She has been involved in art her entire life and loved inspiring creative motivation in people who might have shied away from art in the past, she said.

Pat agreed and said the store’s environment broke down “a lot of barriers and walls from being insecure or being self-confident” because all participants were beginners.

According to the website, participants 18 years and older are welcome to come to a session at any time.