Episode Summary:
What if art could break down barriers and turn strangers into collaborators? In this episode, Alysse and Libby sit down with Jess Devenport, co-founder of Paintillio, the company revolutionizing events with massive, interactive paint-by-number murals. From weddings to Fortune 500 conferences to a record-breaking 60-foot Frida Kahlo piece in Mexico City, Jess shares how collaborative art fosters connection, relaxation and unforgettable memories at any scale.
Key Takeaways:
- How Paintillio started as a joke and grew into a global company
- Why collaborative murals are the ultimate icebreaker at events
- Stories from massive installations in Mexico City, Spain, and beyond
- The surprising therapeutic benefits of painting at conferences
- How nonprofits like St. Jude’s use Paintillio murals to raise big donations
Timestamps:
[02:00] – The hilarious “paint by numbers” origin story
[07:00] – The biggest mural yet: 60ft Frida Kahlo in Mexico City
[10:20] – Pre-printing explained: how to get guests painting faster
[16:30] – Why collaborative murals are art therapy in disguise
[27:20] – St. Jude’s auction success: $50,000 raised from one mural
Resources & Links:
-Paintillio: LinkedIn, Website, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube
-Alysse & Libby: Bios & LinkedIn
Connect with Us:
-Website: www.beatsworkingpodcast.com
-LinkedIn: @BEATS WORKING Show
-Instagram: @beatsworkingshow
-Facebook: @Beats Working Show
-YouTube: @BEATSWORKINGPODCAST
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BEATS WORKING is a platform on a mission to redeem work—the word, the place, and the way. We believe that work is the most honorable act in the universe, and through inspiring stories and practical insights, we want to transform the way people think about work and help them discover greater fulfillment in their lives. We invite you to join us as we build community through sharing and actively demonstrating what we learn.
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Transcript
The following transcript is not certified. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. The information contained within this document is for general information purposes only.
00:00:00:00 – 00:00:32:13
Libby Sundgren
We had never seen anything like that before. That kind of a collaborative large piece like that, where people are just painting next to each other and probably didn’t know each other, but it’s such a great place to meet people and connect with other people at whatever event you’re at. And for us, it was with strangers. Yeah, we love, love, love that it breaks down barriers between age, race, gender, abilities, fades.
00:00:32:13 – 00:00:49:11
Jess Devenport
It breaks down all the barriers. You’ll have an old man painting with a little girl and they’re just chatting away and painting it together, coming together for one common concept. And it’s really cool to see the finished piece at the end, and that all these people from all walks of life came together to create it.
00:00:49:11 – 00:01:12:21
Speaker 1
Welcome to Beats Working winning the game of events where we share stories and strategies to turn any event or life moment into something unforgettable. Events are wild, and the people who work in them are some of the most resilient humans on Earth. If you know, you know. So come with us behind the curtain for a look at their most memorable experiences.
00:01:12:23 – 00:01:23:03
Speaker 1
As they say, the show must go on, so let’s get on with the show.
00:01:23:03 – 00:01:54:21
Alysse Bryson
Welcome back to another episode of Beats working winning the game of Events and Libby Sandgren and I could not be more excited for today’s guest. We have just. Davenport is the co-founder and director of business development at Pink Tilio, a company that transforms events through wait for it large scale collaborative art. You guys, I’m so, so so so excited for this conversation.
00:01:54:22 – 00:02:23:21
Alysse Bryson
She’s passionate about arts advocacy. She’s a serial entrepreneur, and she’s all about teaming up with organizations that prioritize social and environmental impact. We love all of that with the experience and business development. Global event facilitation, and team leadership. Jess has built her company from the ground up, literally turning a joke into a full blown creative moment. We’re going to need need all the details about that.
00:02:24:03 – 00:02:25:14
Alysse Bryson
Welcome to the show.
00:02:25:18 – 00:02:32:16
Jess Devenport
Thank you so much for having me. I’m super pumped to be here and I have all the details about the joke for you. Yes.
00:02:32:18 – 00:02:34:11
Alysse Bryson
Is that where we’re starting? Should we just.
00:02:34:11 – 00:02:38:06
Libby Sundgren
Sleep? I have to, I think so. It’s too much suspense.
00:02:38:08 – 00:03:05:07
Jess Devenport
So paint. Tilio did start with a joke. It wasn’t my joke. My business partner, Lisa, was, her ex. It was her ex’s joke, actually. And he thought it was so funny to introduce her to everyone and say, hey, this is Lisa, my partner. She’s a really talented artist. You can barely see the numbers in her paintings. And that joke got old real quick.
00:03:05:09 – 00:03:06:15
Jess Devenport
Oh, brutal.
00:03:06:16 – 00:03:08:15
Alysse Bryson
Oh my gosh.
00:03:08:17 – 00:03:33:02
Jess Devenport
And, in response to this joke, Lisa decided to draw her ex, picture of him as a guest and make him paint it by number. And it turned out amazing. It was I, I was, like, blown away by it. She was blown away by it. They were both blown away by it. It was amazing. And then they did one for a wedding.
00:03:33:07 – 00:03:54:01
Jess Devenport
Their friends were getting married, so they hand drew. She hand drew one for her friend’s wedding. Everyone had their fork, their knife, their paintbrush, and they would go up and paint their little part of the portrait of the couple that was getting married. Cool. So cute. And it was a huge hit. And of course, then I wanted, these for all of my friends weddings.
00:03:54:01 – 00:03:57:14
Jess Devenport
Duh. And so Pattillo was born.
00:03:57:20 – 00:03:59:20
Alysse Bryson
And how did you come up with the name?
00:03:59:22 – 00:04:03:20
Jess Devenport
Well, my partner came up with the name. It’s just.
00:04:04:01 – 00:04:06:02
Libby Sundgren
All right. Collaborative.
00:04:06:04 – 00:04:12:09
Jess Devenport
Yeah. Basically, Lissa and I did nothing here. We just let everyone else come up with the idea. Whatever. Yeah.
00:04:12:15 – 00:04:25:17
Alysse Bryson
No, you didn’t do nothing because you’re the one monetizing it and making it real. Like the make it real people are that are really important. Vision. People are cool. But the make it real people are the ones that literally make it real.
00:04:25:18 – 00:04:47:21
Jess Devenport
So yeah. So we’re the ones that made it real. We decided to partner and turn paint into a business. We started out with weddings, of course, and we did a ton of weddings. We went to wedding fairs, we went to wedding tradeshows and then we realized, hey, we can do this for corporate teambuilding events. And that is where we’ve landed.
00:04:48:00 – 00:05:07:15
Jess Devenport
That’s our bread and butter. We love bringing people together at all different corporations. Any type of business. Small. Medium, large. We’ve worked with a lot of big companies at this point. We worked with a lot of small companies. We work with a ton of event planners who find us and pitch us to their companies that they’re working with.
00:05:07:17 – 00:05:12:17
Jess Devenport
And so our favorite thing to do is bring people together through this paint by number art.
00:05:12:19 – 00:05:39:19
Libby Sundgren
And it’s so cool. We saw it at the northwest Event show this year, and we had never seen anything like that before. That kind of a collaborative large piece like that where people were just, you know, painting next to each other and probably didn’t know each other. But it’s such a great place to, you know, meet people and connect with other people at whatever event you’re at.
00:05:39:19 – 00:05:42:06
Libby Sundgren
And for us, it was with strangers.
00:05:42:08 – 00:06:11:18
Jess Devenport
Yeah, we love, love, love that it breaks down barriers between age, race, gender, abilities, faiths. It breaks down all the barriers. You’ll have an old man painting with a little girl, and they’re just chatting away and painting it together, creating one like coming together for one common concept. And it’s really cool to see the finished piece at the end, and that all these people from all walks of life came together to create it.
00:06:11:18 – 00:06:14:03
Jess Devenport
And that’s definitely our favorite thing about it.
00:06:14:05 – 00:06:31:20
Alysse Bryson
I just think it’s so cool because, you know, we’ve definitely seen over the years live painting at events and then if it’s like a philanthropic event, they maybe they auction off the painting, you know, at the end of the event or if it was a wedding, they’re like, you know, painting the first dance or whatever, like you’ve seen that.
00:06:31:22 – 00:06:59:05
Alysse Bryson
But this collaborative, everybody gets a brush, everybody picks a number and a color and gets to be part of it. Like, it is so inclusive and so visual and fun and literally any anyone can do that. I say this because I recently did a Barbie paint by number, and, it was so good that Libby has asked me to make one for her house, and Libby is quite particular.
00:06:59:11 – 00:07:03:12
Alysse Bryson
And so I felt like, like I really must be kicking my butt.
00:07:03:12 – 00:07:06:08
Libby Sundgren
Doesn’t mean I have good taste. It just.
00:07:06:10 – 00:07:23:12
Alysse Bryson
Yeah, that doesn’t mean that at all. Just means she’s picky about her stuff. I’m just. Yeah. But. So. Okay, so I have so many questions like how do you come up with the the design or the image? What’s the biggest one you’ve ever done? Where do they go when the event’s over?
00:07:23:13 – 00:07:29:13
Libby Sundgren
What if they’re like finished and you have like so many done mural. What how do you. Oh we have.
00:07:29:16 – 00:07:30:17
Alysse Bryson
All these questions.
00:07:30:17 – 00:07:52:16
Jess Devenport
These are very good questions. And we get these questions all the time. The biggest mural we’ve ever done, we just actually did in Mexico City last month, in August, we did a 60ft by I think it was ten foot mural. So we had a huge that was pretty big for us. There was hundreds of thousands of people that contributed to it.
00:07:52:16 – 00:08:32:05
Jess Devenport
It was really cool. It was like Frida Kahlo and Mexico City, and it had hot air balloons and the pyramids, and it was amazing. And we, Lissa, my business partner, she’s our creative director. She came up with the image. So I do the business directing. She does the creative directing. So we’ve actually started to be able to offer our services and creating images for clients with the help of our graphic designers and as well as I, interestingly enough, I does have its good sides and in our business it works well for us or our clients.
00:08:32:05 – 00:08:50:16
Jess Devenport
Send us an image so our clients often have a photograph or something that’s really meaningful to them that they want to send to us, and ask if we can turn it into a paint by number. Yes, we can do that. We can actually change colors, we can do custom colors. We can mix all of our paint ourselves in the studio.
00:08:50:16 – 00:09:00:04
Jess Devenport
We put our kits together in the studio, we print everything ourselves. And so the images come from the clients or us or it’s a collaboration.
00:09:00:23 – 00:09:08:19
Jess Devenport
And then we did that big mural, like I was talking about Big Giant one. We have another big giant one coming up in Spain in November.
00:09:08:21 – 00:09:11:04
Libby Sundgren
And how old were those before. Because.
00:09:11:04 – 00:09:34:16
Jess Devenport
Yeah. So they’re they’re up for. Yeah. So that’s a good question. You said what if it’s half done. So we make sure it gets done at every event we go to. Because when there’s like say it’s a conference and people are in meetings, well that’s why we’re there. We’re there to help contribute to the painting as well, depending on if the client wants it to be completed or not.
00:09:34:18 – 00:10:02:14
Jess Devenport
So we offer a free service with all of our projects called free printing to get the party started. So people don’t like to approach a blank mural. It’s scary for, oh, you won’t be the first one unless they’re gone. Well, we have the gung ho first ones. They’re like, yes, and they want to get right in there. I would do it, but most people feel but feel more confident in themselves approaching a mural that already has some painting on it.
00:10:02:19 – 00:10:27:12
Jess Devenport
So we offer, like I said, a free service called Pre Printing, where we’ll get well, we’ll usually print like the white. Nobody likes paint white on white. That’s boring. We’ll print the less exciting colors like browns and blacks and so good question about the mural being half done after one. After our client’s order place their order. We send them a questionnaire and we ask them all the info about their event.
00:10:27:12 – 00:10:50:13
Jess Devenport
Like we need to know everything so that we can gauge should you get pre printing or not. Do you want it done or not? Because if some people don’t want it to be completed, some people want to take it back to their office and use it as art therapy for their staff during the day. And so it just depends on what your goal is for the end project.
00:10:50:15 – 00:11:20:00
Jess Devenport
And that is how we that’s what happens to it. You had another question about where does it go after. So a lot of our clients will donate these to local hospitals or underrepresented organizations. And that’s actually something that we promote as well. When we’re talking to clients were like, hey, this would be a really good idea if you don’t want to deal with it after or you don’t know what to do with it instead of throwing it away, or if it’s not going in your office or you don’t have any of space big enough for this, donate it.
00:11:20:00 – 00:11:34:04
Jess Devenport
And we love that. We love partnering with artists in the local areas where it’s being created, and then that local artists artwork gets to be promoted as well if it’s donated to a hospital or an organization. So yeah.
00:11:34:09 – 00:11:50:09
Libby Sundgren
That’s so neat. That’s such a good idea. And I love the pre printing. It’s like a cheese plate, like a charcuterie board at a party. You always you have to like cut off a couple pieces or like slice it I gotta bring you back the snacks okay. It’s all comes.
00:11:50:10 – 00:11:53:13
Jess Devenport
Down to the times but it all comes down to snacks.
00:11:53:13 – 00:12:01:08
Libby Sundgren
If you put it makes charcuterie board out there, people aren’t going to cut into the nice, beautiful wedge of cheese because they don’t want to mess it up.
00:12:01:08 – 00:12:12:08
Jess Devenport
So I mean, I will, but I’m that person that will also paint first. I’m a rarity. Hi, what is about cheese? Immediately?
00:12:12:09 – 00:12:16:05
Alysse Bryson
What is the canvas like? What is it on?
00:12:16:07 – 00:12:50:19
Jess Devenport
We have different products, so we have canvas for weddings. Usually we send the canvas because it’s smaller and we can hand stretch it around a frame. But what you saw, the northwest event show was our mural vinyls. And those are really popular product because they can be stuck to any smooth surface. They come in strips that line up with each other that are easy to install, and then they are awesome because you can peel them off, roll them up, ship them to a new location, and reinstall them onto another wall.
00:12:50:21 – 00:12:54:20
Jess Devenport
So that is what’s super cool about those like wallpaper.
00:12:54:20 – 00:12:55:14
Alysse Bryson
Kind of like.
00:12:55:14 – 00:12:59:18
Jess Devenport
You’re like, yeah, but really high end fancy wallpaper.
00:12:59:18 – 00:13:00:19
Alysse Bryson
Like, okay.
00:13:00:21 – 00:13:08:15
Jess Devenport
We install them ourselves too, like at the northwest event show. And even if it sticks to itself, you can just peel it right away.
00:13:08:17 – 00:13:10:22
Libby Sundgren
Ooh. That’s amazing.
00:13:11:00 – 00:13:22:11
Jess Devenport
Yeah, it won’t peel. It won’t peel the paint off your wall. It won’t leave any residue. It’s this amazing patented material. We love it. By. Yeah. With a canvas like texture.
00:13:22:13 – 00:13:25:12
Libby Sundgren
See? So we didn’t even know we thought it was. Yes.
00:13:25:14 – 00:13:27:05
Jess Devenport
Takes the paint beautifully.
00:13:27:07 – 00:13:37:22
Libby Sundgren
You guys. So you’ve done these where you’re. You were just in Mexico. You’re going to Spain. Where else? Where else in the world is? Where in the.
00:13:37:22 – 00:13:39:08
Jess Devenport
World is San Diego.
00:13:39:10 – 00:13:41:21
Libby Sundgren
Like? Carmen. Yeah.
00:13:41:23 – 00:14:06:09
Jess Devenport
I was just going to try and make a painterly and Diego joke, and it didn’t work. But then I made it anyways, so. Okay. Anyways, we are we’re often in the US. We are we even from Canada? Proudly from Canada. Yeah. But we get a lot of grants from the Canadian government to target the U.S to export to the U.S and to Europe.
00:14:06:09 – 00:14:32:00
Jess Devenport
So we will be popping up in Vegas next month. We will be in London, England next month. Then we’re hitting Spain and then we’ll be in Edmonton, Canada. Woohoo in February in the winter. That’s interesting. And then we’ll be in the I think we’re going back to, we’re going to be in LA for Cater Sauce and the special event and then it all cycles again.
00:14:32:00 – 00:14:39:00
Jess Devenport
So we hit Texas a lot or in Austin we might be going to Nashville next year. Super exciting stuff.
00:14:39:02 – 00:14:52:06
Alysse Bryson
Where is a place that you really hope you get invited to go, like a place or an event like, do you have dreams of Coachella? Like why? Is there something that you’re really hopeful that you get asked to do at some point?
00:14:52:08 – 00:15:18:06
Jess Devenport
That’s a good question. We really want to go to, Finland, which sounds strange because Lisa is from she has Finnish heritage, and so we’d really like to go to the Scandinavian countries and start targeting them. They have some really cool festivals over there as well. And then there’s splendor in the Grass in Australia that we would like to be invited to.
00:15:18:08 – 00:15:21:17
Jess Devenport
I thought Coachella.
00:15:21:19 – 00:15:21:22
Alysse Bryson
Yeah.
00:15:21:22 – 00:15:28:11
Jess Devenport
Splendor in the grass. Yeah. Plug, plug. So yeah, we are hoping to go there one day.
00:15:28:13 – 00:15:33:03
Alysse Bryson
Oh. Wait, and you were saying you’ve been to Coachella and you’re. Are you probably okay if you don’t go back?
00:15:33:05 – 00:15:34:23
Jess Devenport
Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay with that.
00:15:35:03 – 00:15:38:08
Alysse Bryson
Yeah. Burning man you’re also going to pass on Burning Man.
00:15:38:11 – 00:15:42:06
Jess Devenport
Been to Burning Man as well. I would like to go back.
00:15:42:08 – 00:15:43:12
Alysse Bryson
Oh okay. All right.
00:15:43:12 – 00:15:56:16
Jess Devenport
Yeah. Maybe not like this year. That just passed where it was dusty and rainy and everyone kind of. It was a whole vibe, but, Yeah, we’d love to do that. Big, big, big, big, big one and then burn it.
00:15:56:18 – 00:15:58:19
Libby Sundgren
Oh, yeah. There you go. There you go.
00:15:58:21 – 00:15:59:05
Alysse Bryson
There you.
00:15:59:05 – 00:16:17:17
Libby Sundgren
Go. What makes you know whether an event is small or a huge festival? What makes these kinds of live, collaborative, you know, creativity pieces such a powerful tool at events?
00:16:17:19 – 00:16:38:00
Jess Devenport
Yeah. So I think what we get a lot of feedback from people about is the art therapy component of it. People are walking around all day, they’re on their feet all day. They’re in meetings, they’re talking, they’re listening. They don’t get a chance to relax. And so same as events, right? All the events industry is go, go go go go go go go.
00:16:38:00 – 00:17:01:23
Jess Devenport
It’s like everyone’s hyper overstimulated. And so when we come in it’s like, oh, I get to just sit here or stand here or lay on the ground here and paint as little or as much as I like and with whatever color I want, like it’s it really relaxes people. And I’d say our number one feedback is, oh my gosh, this is amazing.
00:17:01:23 – 00:17:28:14
Jess Devenport
It’s so relaxing. It’s like art therapy. And so that feels really great. And then they always come back to see what it looks like each day. So everyone’s coming back and they want to see the progress on it. And they want to see the finished piece that they contributed to. And I think that’s what’s so special about. And it’s not just like a one and done thing where you go and you I don’t know, like there is this giant claw thing at one of the events we went to.
00:17:28:14 – 00:17:52:07
Jess Devenport
And you get to go and it drops you in and it’s like one of those claw games where you grab something and you collect your prize and that’s that’s awesome. I wanted to do that, but then it’s done, right. It’s not like this last steam thing. And so pain Tilio has this lasting presence to it. And someone contributed to that art that.
00:17:52:07 – 00:18:04:03
Jess Devenport
And maybe they’re not an artist or they don’t think they’re an artist, but we think everyone’s an artist. And so I think that’s what is really cool is it brings people together doing something that they never done before, and it relaxes them.
00:18:04:05 – 00:18:26:16
Libby Sundgren
As an introverted extrovert, I would really appreciate something like this at an event because I kind of just get really burnt out of talking sometimes. Yeah, you know, all the interactions. It’s a lot and you can’t. Yeah, you know, you don’t want to go stand in the corner on your phone and, you know, feel antisocial. So it’s nice you could still be in the mix.
00:18:26:16 – 00:18:30:09
Libby Sundgren
But like I don’t have to talk to anybody in painting.
00:18:30:11 – 00:19:01:11
Jess Devenport
Yeah. And so something I just thought about is usually I’m at the events facilitating and talking, and I am the one that’s not, having the art therapy component. But I have been to events where I’ve seen paint tilio, and I forgot that we shipped one to that where I’m not working. And it’s so cool because I’ll get to go participate as a participant and people don’t know that I’m one of the owners of the company, and that feels really cool.
00:19:01:11 – 00:19:11:10
Jess Devenport
And I get why people like that. Like I get to experience it as a participant, you know? And so I get it. And it’s really magical.
00:19:11:16 – 00:19:24:08
Alysse Bryson
What happens when somebody colors outside the lines or uses the wrong color? Do you just look at that is no big deal. Stick artistic interpretation.
00:19:24:10 – 00:19:35:09
Jess Devenport
Yeah, that’s a good question. So, I’m known for coloring outside the lines. I like to use a big brush in small spots. I don’t like small brushes.
00:19:35:11 – 00:19:38:05
Alysse Bryson
Because, it’s so.
00:19:38:05 – 00:20:00:12
Jess Devenport
I don’t what we like to say about paint tilio is that it’s good from far, but far from good. So when you look close up, you can see that it’s done. There’s all these different brushstrokes and people have all these different styles of painting, but when you stand back and look at it in its entirety, it’s absolutely amazing.
00:20:00:12 – 00:20:22:01
Jess Devenport
Every time. And so if someone paints outside of the lines, it’s usually just a little thought. It’s not super noticeable. And we kind of like that. It doesn’t look perfect when you look close up, but that you can’t tell from far away. And if someone paints the wrong color, we send a map for all of our projects in case you get lost and need to paint over it.
00:20:22:03 – 00:20:33:01
Jess Devenport
So it shows the original how it came to you with all the numbers in the spaces, so you can cover it up if you want, or if you can barely tell, then just leave it out.
00:20:33:03 – 00:20:34:08
Libby Sundgren
Embrace it.
00:20:34:10 – 00:20:39:08
Jess Devenport
Yeah. Embrace it. It’s a happy accident. In the famous words of Bob Roth.
00:20:39:09 – 00:20:58:12
Libby Sundgren
Yeah. And like it did, it was. I think it was clueless. Where did I mean, this is different, but when Cher’s referring to Amber as a full on Monet, it’s like from far away. It looks great from up close. Just a real big mess or something. Yeah, they’re real big stars. But, you know, you.
00:20:58:14 – 00:21:00:06
Alysse Bryson
You’re like, just go back.
00:21:00:08 – 00:21:00:11
Libby Sundgren
Here.
00:21:00:15 – 00:21:01:12
Alysse Bryson
Yeah, just step back.
00:21:01:12 – 00:21:05:12
Libby Sundgren
If you if it bothers you, just take a few steps backwards.
00:21:05:14 – 00:21:09:22
Jess Devenport
Yeah. Just go to the back of the room. It’s going to look great. Like photo quality.
00:21:09:22 – 00:21:10:22
Libby Sundgren
Totally.
00:21:11:00 – 00:21:20:18
Alysse Bryson
Is there one like an event that you guys partnered with on the idea of the artwork that is a real standout for you? For whatever reason?
00:21:20:20 – 00:21:49:08
Jess Devenport
Yeah, I think the one we just did in Mexico City was just a real stunner. It was really, really great to be able to well, listen, I love Frida Kahlo. She’s our favorite artist. We our previous job was working with kids and teaching them art, and we used to teach about Frida Kahlo. And so it was really cool to be able to incorporate her into a painting that other people were doing in the city that she’s from.
00:21:49:10 – 00:22:18:10
Jess Devenport
And so that was just my favorite part of that 60ft mural. We also have glow in the dark murals, which are really cool. They’re blacklight murals. And so those ones are super awesome because that’s fun. During the day, they look like just normal paintings. And then the mural we can actually our murals can travel as well. So sometimes they’ll travel from party to party.
00:22:18:12 – 00:22:25:09
Jess Devenport
And so it’ll be on the trade show floor at a conference, for example. But then at night it’ll be at a party and it’ll be glowing.
00:22:25:11 – 00:22:27:11
Libby Sundgren
Oh my gosh, that is so cool.
00:22:27:15 – 00:22:28:17
Alysse Bryson
Cute. That’s cute.
00:22:28:17 – 00:22:45:02
Jess Devenport
Yeah. And we’ve often partnered this one. My favorite one that we’ve done was with this artist name Cerberus Star. They’re an indigenous artist and just really, really cool artwork. And so our glow paintings are definitely some of my faves.
00:22:45:04 – 00:22:49:09
Libby Sundgren
That is such a good idea. Thank you. Love you creatives.
00:22:49:11 – 00:22:56:03
Alysse Bryson
Libby I think, I think I’d like to add this to the list of things I would like at my Celebration of life events.
00:22:56:06 – 00:22:58:17
Libby Sundgren
Yeah, we’ll just like to.
00:22:58:19 – 00:23:05:18
Jess Devenport
Really get we’ve done a couple of those too. Yeah, yeah. No glow celebration of life. But here we come.
00:23:05:20 – 00:23:07:00
Alysse Bryson
Yeah, we could do it.
00:23:07:03 – 00:23:08:16
Jess Devenport
Our new marketing niche.
00:23:08:18 – 00:23:26:10
Alysse Bryson
Yes. Yeah, I think I’m here for that. Oh my goodness. So fun. You know, one of the things we did notice at this year’s northwest event show, which I know we talk about it all the time, but if you’re in the Pacific Northwest or you want to come visit the Pacific Northwest, you really do need to check out the northwest event show.
00:23:26:10 – 00:24:09:12
Alysse Bryson
There’s so many great people in the industry there doing all kinds of creative things. And I just really feel like this year I noticed there was an uptick in interactive, artistic, engaging companies doing different things, whether it was you guys, whether there was the one booth that was doing that design, your own trucker hat or tote bag. But I just as a crafter, as someone who loves to play with different materials, I just think it’s so great to see these different approaches to engaging with people out of that, because those little surprise and delight moments are really what make an event.
00:24:09:12 – 00:24:29:16
Jess Devenport
Saying, I agree. Yeah, what I like to do when I’m at these events, like the northwest event show, is walk around and check out the different activations that are going on, not as competition as I want to experience these things. And I found a couple cool things, but I would say paint Helios up there.
00:24:29:16 – 00:24:49:03
Alysse Bryson
I know you guys were a top. You were a real dynamo, real dynamo, and there’s so many of them that work together like, you know, hopefully you you’re working on a the kind of event that has a big enough budget that you can have multiple different things because, you know, that’s also what makes the northwest event show so cool is you get to experience like literally all.
00:24:49:03 – 00:25:16:08
Jess Devenport
Of the thing. Yeah. And I think a lot of these shows are starting to see that their engagement is higher when they’re getting and their attendance is higher when they have these activations, when it’s just an overall more fun event. And so I love to see it at these events that we’re just getting lots of activations, lots of lots of interactive stuff, and it’s bringing in more people that are excited to sell this to their clients and experience it themselves as well.
00:25:16:08 – 00:25:20:00
Jess Devenport
So hopefully it keeps up in, like you said.
00:25:20:02 – 00:25:38:01
Alysse Bryson
So when somebody interacts with the piece, they come in, they paint, you know, their number or their portion. Do they is there anything you guys give to them? They get a take with them? Or is there like a QR code that then they can check back and see the piece? Are you guys doing I’m lapse videos. Like, what about those kinds of after the fact things?
00:25:38:03 – 00:26:02:22
Jess Devenport
Yeah, that’s a good question. We’ve done it all. All the things you’ve mentioned QR codes, time lapse. What we do is we pre-print the final image on to little postcards. And those are the takeaways for people because or they come and take selfie with it at the end. We like to get it done a little bit early so that people can come and take their selfie and keep that.
00:26:02:22 – 00:26:25:07
Jess Devenport
It’s really hard to do a different type of take away with paint to, because they’re all custom made right now, right. That makes sense. Yeah. So for us, we just here’s your image that you contributed to. You got this little postcard. Keep that and check out our Instagram because that’s where we’re going to post the final results that you contributed to.
00:26:25:07 – 00:26:31:04
Jess Devenport
And often times will take pictures while people are painting. So people get excited when they’re in those photos.
00:26:31:10 – 00:26:33:20
Libby Sundgren
Oh, in the wild.
00:26:33:22 – 00:26:39:10
Jess Devenport
Yeah. My part time job is also taking photos of other people in front of painter Leo.
00:26:39:12 – 00:26:42:04
Libby Sundgren
So portrait photographer, you know. Yeah.
00:26:42:06 – 00:26:44:10
Jess Devenport
Yeah, just on the side for free.
00:26:44:12 – 00:27:07:00
Libby Sundgren
How do you help clients? You know, the clients that you’re working with, how do you help them? Like are there ways that you help them carry that kind of artistic energy and feeling that your, you know, that that painter brings to their events? How is there a way to help them carry that forward into their business or into their community?
00:27:07:00 – 00:27:21:17
Libby Sundgren
I mean, I know you talked about donating the final piece. If they weren’t going to keep it to some organizations and trying to use local artists so that their, you know, work is displayed wherever, whether it’s in the office or somewhere else.
00:27:21:19 – 00:27:47:08
Jess Devenport
Yeah. I have a really cool story, from recently. We have a lot of we’re starting to get a lot of repeat clients who auction these off. So a really big success story lately is Saint Jude’s is this, hospital organization for children, and they ordered one of our mini murals for an event. It was completed at the end of the night, and they auctioned it off for $50,000.
00:27:47:09 – 00:27:49:22
Libby Sundgren
Oh my gosh.
00:27:50:00 – 00:27:56:09
Jess Devenport
Yes. And that was awesome. It’s in here. Did you just your your mind.
00:27:56:13 – 00:27:58:04
Alysse Bryson
Did you just lose your mind?
00:27:58:06 – 00:28:20:00
Jess Devenport
We lost our minds. It’s crazy. Like that is amazing. It just feels so good that that happened. So they they’ve started to repeatedly order these because I think they’re seeing that, they’re getting a lot of donations from them to the sick kids. And that’s just so unreal. That’s so good.
00:28:20:03 – 00:28:20:11
Alysse Bryson
Love.
00:28:20:15 – 00:28:43:05
Libby Sundgren
Well, like, what a great thing for someone to to buy too. I mean, yes, you are donating to an amazing cause that you should just donate to, even if you don’t get something. But they come home with this cool, unique piece with such a great story and every time you look at that, you’re just going to think of all those kids that are, you know, that you’re helping.
00:28:43:11 – 00:28:57:23
Libby Sundgren
That’s such a cool. So, I mean, for any nonprofit to use to to use a paint Leo mural as an auction piece because it is such a cool thing to have happening during the event or cocktail hour or a silent auction, whatever. But,
00:28:58:01 – 00:29:02:16
Jess Devenport
And we have a nonprofit discount 10% off for all nonprofits.
00:29:02:18 – 00:29:03:12
Libby Sundgren
And you can auction.
00:29:03:15 – 00:29:12:09
Alysse Bryson
Do you do you guys have, like, a scrapbook or, a show book that you use? I have archived all the ones you’ve ever done.
00:29:12:11 – 00:29:14:17
Jess Devenport
We have a Dropbox folder.
00:29:14:19 – 00:29:19:20
Alysse Bryson
The digital scrapbook. Well, little skinny 25.
00:29:19:21 – 00:29:26:08
Jess Devenport
We actually we have an old scrapbook with random things in it from like our first year.
00:29:26:10 – 00:29:26:18
Alysse Bryson
Sure.
00:29:26:21 – 00:29:38:18
Jess Devenport
When we were mixing paint in a ten foot by 20ft space with only fluorescent lights and a screamo band below us. Yes, we have a scroll to find.
00:29:39:17 – 00:29:41:16
Jess Devenport
That’s a really good vibe.
00:29:41:18 – 00:29:51:23
Alysse Bryson
I don’t know, I see a coffee table in your future. You could merchandise, there could be merchandise opportunities out of this. Like I’ve got idea.
00:29:51:23 – 00:29:53:21
Jess Devenport
Writing it down and writing it down.
00:29:54:02 – 00:29:57:06
Libby Sundgren
There. What I would really really cool merch stuff.
00:29:57:08 – 00:30:10:02
Alysse Bryson
Yeah you could. Yeah. Especially if you know ones that were really like let’s say the one that, you know, where you just were like, they could make nice pads or keychains or magnets or t shirts and, and keep, keep the moment alive.
00:30:10:06 – 00:30:12:08
Jess Devenport
That’s a great idea.
00:30:12:10 – 00:30:40:09
Libby Sundgren
Where are they? According to the higher order of my day will be they’re hired. Okay. What is one moment? I mean, I’m sure there have been a million moments. And this Saint Jude auction item is most definitely going to be one of those moments. But give us another one that really cemented the magic of painting for you and Lisa and your whole team, because it’s you two leading the charge.
00:30:40:09 – 00:30:47:05
Libby Sundgren
But I know you guys have a whole team of people that are helping keep it going and implementing it and all that.
00:30:47:05 – 00:30:48:23
Alysse Bryson
Plus Elise and Libby starting on.
00:30:48:23 – 00:30:51:04
Libby Sundgren
Monday, plus Elise and Libby, the merch team.
00:30:51:06 – 00:30:57:08
Jess Devenport
Yeah, team is growing. Currently growing at a rapid speed.
00:30:59:00 – 00:31:34:19
Jess Devenport
We I think we. Okay, we had an event. We had an event in well call to us in Vancouver and we have some really amazing photos of a wide variety of people painting. And we just love that this is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities that can paint in a wheelchair. Do we see go around festivals not able to maybe do some of the things that they want to do, and they come up and we’ll say, hey, do you want to paint?
00:31:34:19 – 00:32:07:03
Jess Devenport
And though a lot of times we’ll get, they’ll shy away a little bit and we’re like, no, let’s, we’ll show you. And then there’s so into it and it’s, it makes us feel really proud to be able to make this accessible to everyone. I think that’s a moment for me. Was at a local event where there were people, underprivileged people that maybe had with some disabilities that were able to paint with us, and that felt really cool because they they acted like they didn’t think they could do it.
00:32:07:03 – 00:32:46:13
Jess Devenport
And then they were just there for hours doing it, and it felt really great. So that’s a good moment. There’s another cool moment where we were at a festival and we finished our portfolio early, and we were watching Sarah McLaughlin like she was at the festival, and we walked back across the field to go take a picture with our Tilio mural, and this cool guy had like, mapped out the whole mural and then was projecting moving imagery on it, like turning it into a, oh, you know, like digital mural.
00:32:46:13 – 00:33:05:21
Jess Devenport
And we were like, but he we didn’t talk to him. We didn’t know who this guy was. And we were just like, we just loved that he spent so much. I think he, like, mapped it out the day before because he liked it so much, went home, did this, put together this projection, came back the next night and had this thing going and we were like, yes.
00:33:05:21 – 00:33:07:10
Libby Sundgren
What a cool compliments.
00:33:07:12 – 00:33:15:22
Jess Devenport
That. Yeah. So yeah, yeah, I’d say those are two really good moments for us. So good, so good. Yeah.
00:33:16:00 – 00:33:30:09
Alysse Bryson
Well what else? What’s it what what okay, let’s say that five years from now, like you could I wave a magic wand and everything you want comes true? What does it look like? Whoa! I wave a magic paintbrush. Excuse me.
00:33:30:11 – 00:33:43:09
Jess Devenport
Okay, well, we have our dream team right now, so we’ll still have our dream team. Plus we. And, Yeah, we will. What’s the. I think we’re there. Like we’re happy.
00:33:43:12 – 00:33:45:04
Libby Sundgren
I love that the best.
00:33:45:06 – 00:33:50:15
Jess Devenport
Yeah, we’re magic wand. You did it for us right now.
00:33:50:17 – 00:33:51:03
Alysse Bryson
Five years.
00:33:51:03 – 00:33:52:08
Libby Sundgren
Ago, you waved it.
00:33:52:09 – 00:34:05:22
Alysse Bryson
And you were just like, yeah, once you’ve been on the beach working, winning the Game of Events podcast, you have, you have hit you have hit the pinnacle of all things. And it’s just smooth sailing from here on out. Yeah.
00:34:06:03 – 00:34:08:06
Jess Devenport
Minus all the tariffs. Then we’re going.
00:34:08:06 – 00:34:09:16
Alysse Bryson
To finish the. Sure okay.
00:34:09:16 – 00:34:13:20
Jess Devenport
Let’s get rid of the tariffs. And then we’re in our magic happy place
00:34:13:22 – 00:34:18:12
Alysse Bryson
Yeah yeah sorry about that. There’s nothing we can do about that. Sorry about that.
00:34:18:14 – 00:34:19:05
Jess Devenport
Other great.
00:34:19:06 – 00:34:28:19
Alysse Bryson
Good. Well where can people find you. And we’ll make sure to put in the show notes about the 10% off for non profits. But where can people find you. How do they get the process started.
00:34:28:21 – 00:34:49:07
Jess Devenport
Yeah. You can follow us on Instagram. All of our social media handles are straight up painted Leo because it’s a made up word. No one else out it. It’s paint. I am Leo and our website also painter Leo. Just you look at paint, Leo. You’ll find us.
00:34:49:09 – 00:34:56:05
Libby Sundgren
It’s the best. Is so cool and so colorful. And it’s going to make everybody want to get their own custom mural, for sure.
00:34:56:10 – 00:35:00:00
Jess Devenport
Thank you. And you too are also so cool and so colorful.
00:35:00:01 – 00:35:01:12
Libby Sundgren
Thanks for joining us.
00:35:01:12 – 00:35:14:19
Alysse Bryson
This is this was so fun. This is so fun. We’re going to have to do a check up. And do you ever like if you’re going to be in a public festival, do you guys put up on your socials to let people know where you’re going to be if it’s not a private event? Oh yeah. Good to know.
00:35:14:19 – 00:35:21:02
Alysse Bryson
Yeah, we’re going to have to keep it. At least we’re going to have to keep an eye around. I will be, I will be a paint groupie.
00:35:21:04 – 00:35:25:00
Jess Devenport
Yeah. Great. Well we’ll see you next week when you start work with.
00:35:25:02 – 00:35:26:17
Alysse Bryson
You obviously on Monday we’ll be there.
00:35:26:19 – 00:35:28:02
Jess Devenport
Yes, yes yes.
00:35:28:04 – 00:35:30:10
Libby Sundgren
Team of course as well.
00:35:30:10 – 00:35:48:07
Alysse Bryson
And if you need to ever, if you ever have a client that wants your experience, but they also want to combine it with a podcast experience. We’re there. We’re absolutely right podcasters. I’ve already got so many overalls and coveralls that go with the whole painting vibe, like, I’m here.
00:35:48:09 – 00:35:48:20
Libby Sundgren
To do it.
00:35:48:20 – 00:35:51:10
Jess Devenport
We’re going to have coffee books everywhere. Yes.
00:35:51:12 – 00:35:57:05
Alysse Bryson
Yes, that’s what I was thinking. Even coloring books, it’s going to be we’re going to be very busy.
00:35:57:07 – 00:36:12:03
Libby Sundgren
All right. Well, that is a wrap for this episode of Beats Working. Got an idea or you want to reach out? Email us at info at Beats Working dot show. Remember that every detail matters, every moment counts. And no matter what, the show must go on.
00:36:12:03 – 00:36:38:22
Speaker 1
Thanks for listening to beats working, winning the game of events where we explore what it takes to make moments unforgettable. If you’re leaving with a little more inspiration, a little more perspective, and a big side ache from all of the laughing at our funny jokes, then we’ve done our job. Beats working as a work P2P production. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate and reviews on your favorite podcast platforms.
00:36:39:00 – 00:36:45:19
Speaker 1
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