Inspiring Conversations with Kristin Dragos of Paintpourium

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Dragos.

Hi Kristin, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
In the past, I’ve struggled with finding a career I could see myself doing long-term. I had major careers as a hairstylist, a teacher, and a software engineer. None of those made me feel like I was creating something. I needed more freedom to let my intuition guide me and my creations. In 2015, I went to a Paint Nite class with some friends. I loved the relaxing effect of watching the piece come together on the blank canvas. A few years later, I found myself struggling with anxiety and depression yet again. I knew something was missing from my life, so I decided to take a painting class. I was hooked. At first, it was a hobby, but when we moved back to the Phoenix area in October 2018, I decided I didn’t want to look for another job. I wanted to make art, so I just went for it. At the end of 2019, I signed up with Yaymaker to be a Paint NIte host. I scheduled my first events for March 2020, and Covid thwarted that. I had a technical background, so swapping to virtual events was a no-brainer. I filled my calendar with events. By the summer, I had led over 130 virtual classes. Once the restrictions lifted and people started going out more, I left Yaymaker to focus on my artwork. I applied to numerous art shows and pop-up events around the valley and got accepted. Currently, I am a regular at the Gilbert Art Walk (Gilbert, AZ), 2nd Sundays on Mill (Tempe, AZ), and Roosevelt Row’s Phoenix First Friday (Phoenix, AZ).

Let’s dig deeper into the story – has it been an easy path, and if not, what challenges have you overcome?
Covid restrictions were a big challenge. All the local events were canceled, so art fairs and festivals that I was accepted to got canceled or postponed. For example, the Tempe Festival of the Arts was postponed 3 times. It was crazy. I used that time to create more artwork, but since I work out of my garage most of the time, I quickly ran out of space to store paintings.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Paintpourium?
I make and sell my artwork under the name Paintpourium. I started with a lot of fluid artwork, but I’ve loved digital painting lately. My best-selling item for the past few years is my Lighted Ceramic Cactus. Nostalgia is a big factor there. People always seem to remember having a light-up pine tree when they were younger. My cacti are a fun modern twist and more Arizona-appropriate. I start making those in early summer, so they’re usually available by July. In the past six months, I’ve started making a lot of gamer-related artwork, and people love it. My son has a lot of video game plushies, so I like to incorporate them into still-life paintings. My “Yoshi’s Controller Collection” has been trendy. It has a plush Yoshi and various retro and modern Nintendo controllers. This year will be my first year at Phoenix Fan Fusion. I know there’s a mindset among artists and collectors that art has to be a certain way, but I try not to take art so seriously. I make it fun and whimsical. Society has to be serious, so it’s time we brought a little fun back into our lives.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I wouldn’t say I like selling stuff. I realize it’s an important part of business, but I’m not too fond of it. I always feel slightly awkward at events when people come into my booth. I love my conversations with people about my art, though. It’s a fine line between being too sale-sy and appearing approachable. I want people to know they can ask me questions, and I’m happy to answer them. I do not want people to think I’m trying to force my art and products onto them.

Pricing:

• Lighted Ceramic Cactus – $150
• Art print pricing varies by size and media type. I offer prints on paper, stretched canvas, metal, acrylic, and wood.
• Merchandise (tote bags, mugs, calendars, etc.) can be found on my website. It’s $24-27 for a tote bag. (My favorite merchandise item.)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.paintpourium.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paintpouriumartworks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paintpourium/ 

Image Credits
Kristin Dragos