Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Meyer.
Hi Brittany, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been dyslexic for as long as I can’t read, and school often felt overwhelming — full of rigid guidelines and ways of doing things that never quite fit how my brain worked. But when we got to art class, those rules disappeared. Suddenly my mind came alive. Everything felt easy, relaxing, and natural. That’s when I fell in love with art, and it’s stayed with me ever since.
Years later I started taking the occasional art class just to keep creating. During one paint-and-sip, the teacher told me, “You should teach these.” That little push stuck with me. One day I reached out to a painting studio and asked if I could work there. I was scared — there’s no real training for this kind of teaching; it’s mostly trial by fire. But I did it anyway.
I spent years teaching at Pineos Palette on Central in St. Pete until the company closed, then many years at Painting with a Twist until they sold. Along the way I also taught private lessons and pop-up workshops.
Today I’m still doing what I love: teaching art, like stained-glass classes at Glass of Life, painting and crafting workshops at Gypsea Blooms, and pop-up events at Sunshine City Paints and The Book Lounge, with many other spots around town to come. Also offering live event painting and interactive artistry. Helping people discover the same freedom I found in art class is still the best part of the work.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. When I first started teaching I had to push through a lot of self-doubt. I didn’t have formal art training or a college degree, and I constantly wondered if I was skilled enough. Teaching is also time-consuming and physically demanding, and it doesn’t always pay well — you truly have to do it for the love of it.
Even now I still don’t make enough from teaching alone to cover living expenses and bills. Like a lot of artists, I also work in construction, take side gigs, and do sales work to support my art and teaching habit. It’s a constant juggle.
I believe we could all grow in understanding that art and artists need real financial support so this work doesn’t fade away. The world needs it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What I do is create spaces where people feel safe enough to let go of rules and guidelines and free enough to simply create. Whether it’s stained glass, watercolor, painting or crafting. The heart of the work is the same: helping people discover what their hands can do without pressure.
What I hear most often from students is that I’m a great teacher who meets them where they are, never talks down to them, and communicates to their strengths. That means a lot to me.
I also specialize in sales… which is a fancy way of saying I talk people into things and I’m suspiciously good at it.
The art I personally feel most connected to right now is my cinnamon ‘witches’ brooms. Most of the natural materials come from places I’ve traveled — the mountains around Asheville, Montana, and the California coast. I packed them with oils and crystals so they feel full of love and protection. They just feel powerful to me.
What I’m most proud of is watching people leave with a piece of art they created and truly love, a new view of art in their own life, and often new connections. I love when friendships form during my classes.
What sets me apart, I think, is my confidence in guiding people to their own ability to create. I trust that it’s already in them — my job is just to help them find it.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
To me, risk is how you weigh the odds of a decision or action — the overall cost it has to you and the effects it will have on your life. I’m always willing to take a chance on things and see where they go and how they grow.
A big part of that comes from my mom, who taught me it never hurts to ask. A “no” won’t hurt you, and a “yes” opens up so many possibilities. That’s how I approached reaching out to painting studios and other businesses to see if we could work together, just taking a chance.
I guess you could say I’m more of a chance-taker than a big risk-taker. I’m open to trying things and letting them unfold, as long as the potential upside feels worth the cost.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @DrawingGypsy
