Studio hosts painting fundraiser in remembrance of Hurricane Katrina

As the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, Painting with a Twist in Grapevine will participate in a national fundraising event on Saturday through the company’s charitable arm, Painting with a Purpose.

Owner Colleen Coppenger said the local “paint-and-sip studio” will host a painting party with the entire proceeds benefiting Young Audiences of Louisiana Charter School.

“I love giving back and through this company I’ve been able to give back more than ever before,” Coppenger said.

The 10 a.m.-noon fundraiser on Saturday will benefit Louisiana children through the charter school’s arts-integrated curriculum.

Since 1962, the local nonprofit organization Young Audiences of Louisiana has led the state of Louisiana in arts education and quality after-school programs. Young Audiences of Louisiana is an affiliate of the National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Network, which includes 32 affiliates across the country.

Painting with a Purpose has special meaning for Coppenger, who grew up in a neighborhood of New Orleans called Lakeview.

When Hurricane Katrina hit, her childhood home where her immediate family still lived was destroyed, forcing her mom, sister, brother-in-law and their children to evacuate to live with Coppenger in Grapevine for months until their home was rebuilt.

Painting with a Twist was born out of Hurricane Katrina, after local moms Cathy Deano and Renee Maloney provided a creative and fun outlet for their devastated community to escape from the stress of the storm. This passion for giving back continues to thrive throughout the franchise system through Painting with a Purpose fundraisers.

Guests can visit the Painting with a Twist Grapevine website and go to the schedule page to sign up to attend the Hurricane Katrina Painting with a Purpose class that is $35. A scene titled “Peace, Love and Turtles” will be painted during the event.

“The turtle makes it family friendly,” said Molly Grant, Coppenger’s daughter, who will be teaching the class. “It’s a fun little painting.”

This story was originally published August 26, 2015 at 10:40 AM with the headline "Studio hosts painting fundraiser in remembrance of Hurricane Katrina."