Sponge Stories

Sponge Stories heads to UKFABAC!

In this convention special, I share a few thoughts on the event before handing over to some fellow painters for a series of quick fire rounds. From favourite designs to kit essentials and why they came, it’s a little taste of the people behind the paint.

Full disclosure: a few ill advised drinks were involved, and the recording quality definitely suffered. Expect background noise, questionable microphone skills and some very honest answers!

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This week, I’m joined by my dream guest, Simona Strete Rad.

Simona is a face painter, Creative Director and Lead Instructor at the International Face Painting School, and one of the instructors joining Spons! next March.

We talk about her first face painting job while she was still at school, moving to the UK and supporting herself through university with face painting, and how she became part of the International Face Painting School.

Simona also shares how she develops her competition designs, why understanding the structure behind a design matters, how she photographs her own work and what she loves most about teaching other painters.

Plus, we talk about the World Bodypainting Festival, the community she discovered there and what she’s looking forward to at Spons!

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon.

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From a Frozen birthday party to co creating the Face Painting Hub, Elizabeth Gale from Sparkle Face joins me to talk about how one thing led to another.

We chat about first gig nerves, learning on the job and why experience doesn’t necessarily stop you questioning your own work. Elizabeth also shares how she and Amanda Careford built a business together, from teaching and tutorials to developing brushes and paints.

Plus, left handed videos, painting pet peeves and the advice she wishes someone had given her at the beginning: it’s just face painting. Give yourself a break.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon.

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This week on Sponge Stories, I’m chatting with international award winning face and body artist Helene Rantzau.

We talk competitions, continuing to learn even when you’re at the top of your game, finding your face paint family and why conventions can completely change the way you paint.

Helene shares what it was really like winning the International Face Painting Competition in Helmond, why competing keeps her humble, and the techniques she’s picked up from other artists along the way, including a Wolfe Brothers layering technique that changed the way she approaches her on the job designs.

Plus, we chat about UKFABAC and Spons!, where Helene will be joining the instructor line up next March.

A really lovely conversation about staying curious, pushing yourself and remembering that however good someone looks now, we all started with that first brush stroke.

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon.

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What does it actually feel like to be a brand new face painter?

This week I’m chatting with Laura from Sparkle Inc about the bit we don’t always see online: the nerves, the overthinking, imposter syndrome and the reality of trying to build a business from scratch.

We talk about getting that first paid booking and suddenly realising you actually have to do it, learning to trust yourself, posting on social media when it feels like nobody is listening, and why sometimes you just have to keep showing up anyway.

A really honest conversation about those early days of face painting, from someone who is right in the middle of them.

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This week on Sponge Stories, I’m chatting with Samantha Helen, face and body artist, educator and founder of Essentials by Samantha Helen.

Samantha shares her slightly unconventional route into the industry, from working on a MAC counter and painting herself with some very old Snazaroo, to teaching, building a team of artists and creating her own range of professional face painting products.

We get properly behind the scenes of Essentials, including how products are developed, what actually goes into making face paint safe and compliant, why different paint formulations behave differently and how Samantha decides whether a new product idea is worth pursuing.

We also talk corporate face painting, building a business, social media pressure, supporting other artists and why sometimes you need to remember that, actually, no one cares quite as much as you think they do.

A really interesting look at the business and science behind the products sitting in our kits.

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This week I’m joined by face painter and body artist Jade La Forest Wolfe.

We chat about Jade’s first chaotic face painting jobs, nightmare clients, knowing your worth, burnout and finding your own style.

Jade also shares how she entered her first body painting competition having never completed a full body paint, her journey into competitive body art, meeting Nick Wolfe and what they’re building together with The Witch & The Wolfe.

A really fun conversation about creativity, taking chances and simply keeping swimming.

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In this episode of Sponge Stories, Siobhan chats with Beshlie-Ann Carver-Carpenter from Glittery Rainbow Cat.

Beshlie shares how she went from studying Fine Art and working as a veterinary nurse to discovering face painting after her children started drawing on each other with Sharpies.

They talk about learning to trust your instincts, the designs that still cause anxiety, managing queues, the importance of industry friendships and Beshlie’s time as secretary and Chair of FACE during the Covid years.

Beshlie also takes us behind the scenes of organising the Hastings Face Painting Jam and explains why creating accessible opportunities for newer painters matters to her.

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This week on Sponge Stories, I’m joined by husband and wife team Michelle and Michael from I Paint Faces.

We chat about how they’ve built the business together, growing a team of painters and landing what sounds like the face painter dream: their own permanent Paint House at Knockhatch Adventure Park.

We also get into event positioning, managing huge queues, knowing when to take time off and why sometimes you just have to reach out and ask for the opportunity.

A really fun chat about face painting, business and what it’s actually like working alongside your other half.

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This week I’m joined by Erica Jane Walsh from Art Vision Events, who is celebrating an incredible 20 years in the face painting industry.

Erica takes us right back to the beginning, from turning up to her first bookings with only a handful of designs, to developing her instantly recognisable wispy style and building a career that was originally only ever meant to be temporary.

We chat about difficult customers, knowing when to stand your ground, finding your own artistic style, rebranding a business, staying creative after two decades and why sometimes growing your business isn’t actually the goal.

Plus, Erica shares why she’s so proud to still be painting after everything the last few years have thrown at her.

A really lovely, funny and honest chat about 20 years of life as a working face painter.

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