April W is a face painter, balloon twister, and character artist based in Manchester NH. April joined Kaleidoscope in early 2024 after earning her bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Media Arts from Southern New Hampshire University.
While she was studying to become a graphic designer, April worked for several years as a professional baby sitter as well as a teacher’s aide at the Purple Panther Preschool of Nashua South.
Now, as a full-time working artist, April works during the week as a graphic designer and photographer at an auction house specializing in music memorabilia as well as running a freelance graphic design and photography business.
April’s extensive experience working with children and in the arts has lead her to becoming one of Kaleidoscope’s highest rated artists. Read some of her real verified Google reviews here:
Maria began her job as a face painter and balloon twister with Kaleidoscope in 2023 with the goal of finding a creative outlet alongside her corporate tech job. Working full-time at Tesla during the week, Maria finds her passion at the intersection of creativity and problem solving.
With experience in childcare and a love for crafts, Maria’s available for events in her hometown of Bristol CT and throughout Connecticut.
And like many Kaleidoscopers, she’s trained in multiple art forms including:
Interview with Maria: Bristol CT Face Painter and Balloon Twister!
If you could only pick one, would you rather do face painting or balloon twisting forever and why?
If I had to pick one, I’d go with face painting.
Balloons are great and can be turned into amazing designs, but face painting feels more personal. It gives me a chance to hone my skills and add little personalized touches. Plus, I get to chat with the person I’m painting, which I think people appreciate more. It’s like temporary tattoos—art on our bodies makes us feel more confident and beautiful. Balloons just don’t have that same effect.
What is your favorite part of Face painting?
I love painting! Transforming someone into something funny, beautiful, creative, or just adding some glam brings me so much joy when I see their reactions. It makes me feel proud and fulfills my creative passion.
What are people’s reactions when you tell them that You’re a professional Face Painter and Balloon Twister?
When I tell people what I do, my friends aren’t surprised since they know I have a creative streak and being a face painter and balloon twister suits me perfectly.
New acquaintances or people unfamiliar with my work are always surprised—they usually think of my main job and don’t expect that I also dress up as a fairy and paint faces or twist balloons. If they follow me on social media, they’re pleasantly surprised and often ask about it. It’s fun, and I love surprising folks!
What is one surprising fact about you?
I went to a Aquaculture high school program. I learned to build fishing poles, got my boat license at 15 years old, build boats, took apart and put back together boat motors, put out electrical fires in the ocean, learned CPR and boat safety, and then we skimmed the bottom of the ocean and dissected the sea animals in lab to learn more about them and their anatomy. And because of all that, i havent touch seafood since i was a Freshman in high school.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about what you do?
That i have an great big girl job and career in Technology and Energy, but secretly love my 2nd job (Kscope) face painting, way more most times!
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
The most memorable party I ever entertained at was unforgettable! I realized my idea of a party and that of some parents of young kids are worlds apart. My first character event blew my mind. They had me as a fairy doing face painting, a mermaid doing balloons, a bartender, two bounce houses, a petting zoo, bubble machines, lights, glam, tons of decorative balloons, and incredible décor. It felt like an engagement party or a community festival with activities galore. And guess what? It was all for twin 5-year-old girls! I was obsessed!
What’s your favorite part of Working in Kids Party Entertainment?
I love traveling to new places, seeing the setups, and meeting new people. It feels like I’m at the party too, and since I enjoy a good event, this is perfect for me. I get my creative fix and meet awesome hosts, kids, and friends. The best part is the excitement of heading to a new event and never knowing what to expect. It’s always a fun adventure!
What’s your favorite part of working with kids?
The kids are absolutely nuts, and I love it! They’re the most imaginative and creative little people. Some of the smallest kids make the greatest artistic requests.
One time, the quietest, cutest blonde girl with bright blue eyes, wearing an all-pink dress with pearl beads and flower jewelry, asked me to make her a killer zombie. I was so surprised and super hyped! I high-fived her. She decided she wasn’t following the norms and was going to be the best dang Killer Zombie Queen ever! And i was there to support that energy!
What’s one piece of advice you give to every parent planning a birthday party?
Make sure kids know that being patient and kind are expected! Not to touch things that aren’t theirs and to always be respectful.
What’s one thing you want every corporate event planner to know?
Make sure all the setup is spot-on – tables, chairs, tents, the works. Oh, and a little check-in during the event wouldn’t hurt either. Makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. (If you take care of your face painters, we’ll take care of your guests!)
What is the biggest factor in determining if a college event will go smoothly or not?
Ensuring we know exactly the location we are going to be set up at and where we should park that isn’t 20mins from the specific location. Our face painter and balloon twister kits are on wheels, but if we have to walk more than 2-3 minutes it can be challenging making sure we have everything we need at our stations.
Ava is a face painter and balloon twister based out of Norton, MA and currently attending Wheaton College for creative writing.
Ava started with Kaleidoscope in 2023, having graduated from Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing and Visual Arts with a focus on cinematography and traditional photography. In 2022, her story Mother Nature’s Son was mentioned as a Notable Story in Write Rhode Island, her home state’s only short fiction competition for high school students.
At Kaleidoscope, Ava would love to come to your party for:
See some of Ava’s verified Google and GigSalad reviews here:
Interview with Ava: Norton MA Face Painter and Balloon Twister!
When and why did you start working at Kaleidoscope?
I started working here in spring 2023 as I was graduating high school. I chose Kaleidoscope because I was promised a fun, comfortable, and team-oriented working environment that could foster my creativity, while always teaching me the responsibility I needed to begin my life outside of high school. And each member of this company has delivered on the promise time and time again!
What’s your favorite art form (or performance etc) to do here?
Face Paint!
What is your favorite part of face painting?
My favorite part of face painting is how personal and individual it can be! I’ve found that, for kids, being able to choose something as simple as the color of their face paint, or a design their friends haven’t done yet, makes them feel really special.
What are people’s reactions when you tell them That you’re a professional face painter and balloon twister?
People think my job is super cool and fascinating, I’m almost always asked follow up questions about what I do.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about being in event entertainment?
Although it is certainly nowhere near the hardest job on the planet, it’s not the easiest either! Anyone has the capability to do what we do, but it took us all lots of learning and practice to get where we are! Our skills are developed with time and experience!
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
I entertained at a birthday party with only about five kids, all under the age of 7. By the end I knew all of their names and their favorite subjects in school. When there were lulls when they didn’t want any art from me, they brought coloring books over and asked if we could color together. But best of all, was when the birthday girl took my hand and brought me out to sing happy birthday with her and her family. Small parties will always be my favorite because of that one event!
What’s your favorite part of being an artist?
It’s honest to me and who I am as a person! I’ve been creative since I was little, it’s not surprising that I am an artist as an adult because that is what I have always been. Art makes me feel my most true to myself. My favorite part of the job is how authentic to myself I can be while working, I do not need to change for anyone.
What’s your favorite part of Entertaining kids?
Kids are hilarious and honest, but they’re also curious, and I’ve found when you tap into that curiosity, you can learn something from them regardless of their age.
What is the hardest thing about being a Face Painter or Balloon Twister?
I am not a babysitter! I love the kids to death, but I cannot be put in charge of them and their well being.
Many parents think it’s okay to leave while their children are in my chair, which is completely fine for a moment to grab their phone for a picture or something small, but leaving entirely and not returning puts me and the child in a strange position. They’re scared to leave my chair alone and I don’t feel comfortable letting them go alone, causing me to stop what I’m doing and find the parent instead of helping the next kid in my chair.
What’s one thing you want every event planner to know?
Large events tend to either be the busiest or the slowest, all depending on the amount of children. If your corporate event is anticipating a large amount of children, please plan accordingly and schedule enough artists to make sure each kid gets the exact art they want! If you are anticipating a small amount of children, an art like balloon twisting, where a kid can get multiple, fulfills the time more than something like face painting, which kids can only get one of.
Colleen is a face painter and balloon twister at Kaleidoscope who began with here in 2019 while she was studying theatre at Salem State University. Since graduating, she has performed with a number of community theatres, deepened her love for visual arts as a cake decorator at Dessert Works in Westwood MA, and of course continued performing as a children’s party entertainer with Kaleidoscope!
Colleen’s strengths as an entertainer are her infectious smile and sweetness with kids, and the parties where she shines the most are small kids birthday parties.
Interview with Colleen: Taunton’s Favorite Balloon Twister and Face Painter!
When and why did you start working at Kaleidoscope?
I’ve been with Kaleidoscope since 2019! I was in college for theatre browsing indeed for art-related jobs. An interview and much training later, here I am!
What’s your favorite art form to do here?
Balloon twisting is sooooo my bread and butter. The popping still scares me even after five years.
What is your favorite part of Being a balloon Twister?
Definitely the reverse engineering. Whether a kid wants something I’ve never done/heard of, make it happen! Even watching my colleagues make something I never have, and trying to learn what they just did. We have a great support system with the artists here, so we’re constantly learning from each other which is really fun.
What are people’s reactions when you tell them You’re a professional balloon twister?
People usually say, “wow! That’s so amazing, nobody does that kind of thing anymore!” Or, “so you’re a clown!”
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about Being a professional kids party entertainer?
People would be surprised at the amount of training it takes to do what we do!
What do you think your superpower as an artist is?
Oh boy, definitely patience. It’s such a requirement, and you have to be quick on your feet too!
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
You never forget your first party. I was so nervous, even though everyone was so nice and it turned out great. It was a jungle animal theme, I’ve never painted so many tiger faces.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Making people’s day. Kids love what we do! I once autographed a balloon before, and the kid who I made it for told me she hoped it would never deflate.
What’s your favorite part of being an professional artist?
The act of being an artist itself. Since I come from an acting background I never thought any sort of painting would find an art medium that I excel at. But when you love what you do, you get good at it!
What is the hardest thing about being a Face Painter or Balloon Twister?
Keeping track of my supplies. We have a pretty good system with our central office, but there is so much to keep track of with all the different art forms we do that we’re constantly trying to stay on top of it.
What’s one piece of advice you give to every parent planning a birthday party?
Have plenty of water and snacks. Also, have a backup option in case of rain.
What’s one thing you want every corporate event planner to know?
Sometimes, less is more to keep people entertained. Instead of having just 1 face painter and 1 balloon twister for a huge event, consider having 2 face painters only (or just 2 balloon twisters). The budget will work out the same, and guests will be happy if there are shorter lines.
Khara started with Kaleidoscope in 2021 and has since become one of our most-requested artists!
With her BA in Dramatics/Theatre Arts at from the University of Rhode Island, Khara is a trained actress and entertainer who has a passion for childcare and crafting!
Dominique is one of New Hampshire’s most requested childrens’ party magicians, and it’s no wonder!
With her BA in Early Childhood Education, her years of experience working as a PreSchool teacher, and her love for all things fun, Dominique can come to your party in a number of characters for face painting, balloon twisting, song and game, and magic packages!
Dominique’s characters include:
A mermaid
A pirate
A fairy
A clown
herself without a costume
Her package options include:
Face painting
Balloon twisting
Glitter tattoos
Songs and games
A kids’ magic show
Mix and match to your hearts’ content!
Dominique was also trained by our very own Kenny the Clown, one of New England’s most experienced and requested childrens’ entertainers with over a decade and 500+ parties of experience under his belt.
New Britain native Jem first started as a balloon twister with Kaleidoscope in 2022, but her adventure with us begins all the way back in 2015 as a communications intern. In 2015 she helped build our princess party sister company Princess Perfect and has freelanced with us as a photographer, content writer, and kids party entertainer ever since.
Over the past decade, not only has Jem finished her Master’s in International Business but she has launched her career in corporate communication Monday through Friday. And like many of our artists, she enjoys breaking her weekly routine to have fun and make kids smile at parties on weekends!
When not traveling, learning new languages, or balloon twisting, Jem volunteer’s in her church’s youth ministry, where she organizes an annual summer retreat for children and their families throughout New England.
Interview with Jem: Balloon Twister in New Britain CT
When and why did you start working at Kaleidoscope?
I started at Kaleidoscope summer of 2015 as a lowly marketing intern haha I never thought I’d bet a balloon twister!
If you could only pick one, would you rather do face painting or balloon twisting forever and why?
Balloon twisting, the possibilities are endless!
What is your favorite part of Being a Balloon Twister?
I just love how I can take a single straight balloon and turn it into something amazing. I also love the look on kids faces as they watch me twist and their amazement at the final design. It motivates me to learn more cool designs, and I like learning new ones all the time.
What are people’s reactions when you tell them what your job is?
Surprised usually because I’m so serious in my every day life haha I work in corporate communications during the week, so being a kids party entertainer is a totally different side of my personality.
What is one surprising fact about you?
I speak 5 languages and I love learning about other languages!
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
A unicorn themed birthday party, they kids were amazing. I loved interacting with them and they were amazing by every design I created. It was fun seeing their little eyes light up every time.
What is the hardest thing about being a Balloon Twister?
Making sure everyone gets something. Having to break someone’s heart when my time is up and I have to leave and they didn’t get a balloon or glitter tattoo yet, especially if the event is over and everything has to wrap up on a schedule.
What’s one piece of advice you give to every parent planning a birthday party?
Always book with enough time for every kid to get something. Being kind and considerate of your artists helps make the whole process go over smoothly. It never hurts to make sure they have enough shade especially for summer time outdoor parties.
What is your favorite activity for summer camp event entertainment and why?
Balloons! The kids have a blast comparing what they got, and I especially love the sword fights they get into with their balloon swords.
Didi joined the Kaleido-crew as a face painter and balloon twister in 2023, and is available for events in and around Springfield MA.
Didi is not only a trained actress, but had been working as a daycare teacher since 2019. She joined Kaleidoscope with the goal of combining her love for arts and working with children, and is currently finishing her Associate’s in Early Childhood Development from Holyoke Community College.
You can invite Didi to your next event for any of the following packages:
Didi is also bilingual in English or Spanish, and can entertain in both languages!
Interview with Didi: Springfield MA Face Painter and Balloon Twister
When and why did you start working at Kaleidoscope?
I started working at Kaleidoscope in 2023 and My mom and dad did theater together when they were younger, and my dad’s side of the family are musicians. So, I have always had a special place for the arts in my heart and I just wanted to do something I love. I was searching online for arts-related jobs when I found this one. I’ve loved it here ever since I started!
What’s your favorite art form (or performance etc) to do here?
I absolutely love balloon twisting. It’s so creative and the kids’ reactions are priceless. Also, dressing up as a mermaid or a fairy, I love making my own characters and bringing them to life.
What is your favorite part of balloon twisting?
My favorite part of balloon twisting is the moment when I finish a creation and hand it over to a child. It’s really fulfilling to do make something out of thin air, but then the look of wonder and excitement on their face is amazing. It really brings me a lot of joy.
If you could only pick one, would you rather do face painting or balloon twisting forever and why?
That’s a tough one, but I think I would choose being a balloon twister. I love the creativity it involves and I’m just so much better at it because of how much I love it. When you like what you do, it comes easily!
What is one surprising fact about you?
I can speak three languages, including Spanish and some American Sign Language.
What do you think your superpower as a Balloon Twister or Face Painter is?
My ability to connect with children and bring their imagination to life. To me this isn’t just a job, but a passion. I genuinely love what I do and I think the kids can sense that when I’m creating something for them.
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
A party where I dressed up as a mermaid for a little girl’s birthday party, who was obsessed with mermaids and the ocean. The joy on her face was unforgettable.
What is the hardest thing about being an event entertainer?
Keeping up with the energy levels of the kids. Especially for our toddler games packages, it takes a lot of energy keeping up with a group of them. But that energy is also one of the most rewarding thing because I get to feel like a kid again and play along with them.
What’s one piece of advice you give to every parent planning a birthday party?
Don’t stress about the little things. The most important thing is that the kids have fun.
What is the biggest factor in determining if a larger event will go smoothly or not?
Communication. It’s key to make sure everyone is on the same page about what to expect.
Sarah S began with Kaleidoscope in 2023 as a face painter, balloon twister, UV face/body painter, henna artist, and paint night instructor. A former elementary and middle school art teacher, she’s based in Southern Connecticut and travels throughout New England for events.
In her personal art, Sarah explores and plays in many artistic mediums and modalities, from painting to sculpture, photography, gardening, metalsmithing, installation art, and teaching. Forever a student of the creative process, her style reflects her deep connection to intuitive art creation.
Also a yoga instructor and former art teacher, Sarah finds harmony between her yoga & meditation practice and her art practice. Sarah is inspired by the beauty of this amazing planet, the wisdom and resiliency of the human body and spirit, ecofeminism, and the mysteries of the Cosmos.
Jenni W is one of Kaleidoscope’s most seasoned artists! Jenni began with Kaleidoscope in 2016 as a face painter and balloon twister. With an eclectic creative background (she’s done everything from illustration and costuming to building actual airplanes), Jenni quickly picked a huge variety of art at Kaleidoscope including:
As one of our most experienced artists here, she can do virtually anything your event requires and is one of our most prolific entertainers!
Interview with Jenni: West Hartford CT Caricature Artist and Balloon Twister
When and why did you start working at Kaleidoscope?
I was seventeen and looking for a side job I could do on the weekends. I found the listing randomly and since I was already a digital artist, a job in the arts sounded fun – plus, I’d previously had a summer job as a wedding florist which gave me an idea of what to expect in the event industry.
What’s your favorite art form (or performance etc) to do here? What is your favorite part of it?
I find caricatures to be really challenging in a satisfying way – I’m always looking to improve and there’s real, measurable ways to improve. I enjoy comparing my old caricatures to my more recent work and seeing how I’ve grown!
If you could only pick one, would you rather do face painting or balloon twisting forever and why?
I think balloon twisting has more room for improvement: meaning, after years and years of experience, I could still be getting better and making more and more impressive designs. I feel like face painting has a definite skill ceiling, although there’s tons of ways to branch out into body painting and UV that I’m interested.
What are people’s reactions when you tell them You’re a professional Balloon Twister or Caricature Artist?
It takes a bit of explaining for most people to understand what it is I actually do, but they tend to find it unique and kind of funny. I think they look at me and go, ‘yeah, I can see it.’ (Not sure what about me looks like a balloon twister, but I’ll take it!)
What is one surprising fact about you?
My dad is a recreational pilot with a homebuilt P-36 Hawk scale replica, and I’ve been flying in GA aircraft since I was a baby. I’ve always wanted my own Curtiss Jenny biplane!
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about what you do?
I think people don’t expect the amount of discipline it requires to work in the event industry. They hear you’re a balloon twister and think you must not be that serious, but really it requires a lot of organization and flexibility.
Your schedule is completely random and you often have very long days, even if the event itself is relatively short. There is a lot of driving. It’s not just fun and games– it can be easy to burn out.
What do you think your superpower as an artist is?
I have a lot of versatility, in that I have a wide variety of different skills from dabbling in different art forms. I’ve always preferred to be a jack of all trades and a master of none, and the opportunities to learn new art forms to add to my arsenal is one of my favorite parts of this job.
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
I have a lot of stories, but I’ll never forget the birthday party for a thirteen year old girl and a few of her friends in her basement. I was there as a balloon twister and face painter doing a combo package. It was so chill, I got to hang out at their slumber party for a bit, and after I was done, someone came with various insect and reptile animal ambassadors and I got to hold a stick bug! How cool is that for a birthday party!
What’s your favorite part of Entertaining at Kids Parties?
I honestly love just never knowing what to expect. I’ve had a lot of fun, crazy, weird, unique experiences. Every day is a little different, and that suits me.
What’s your favorite part of being an artist?
This question feels a bit like ‘what’s your favorite part of being a human.’ As in, what else would I be? It’s just a part of who I am and it always has been. Doing art professionally, it’s fulfilling in a way that validates that experience; I am meant for this, I am capable of this, and it’s me.
What’s your favorite part of working with kids?
They always surprise you. Sometimes kids will have such big personalities or say such wild things that I can’t help but laugh. I also feel like it helps me connect with my own inner child a bit to be able to spend time with them, relate with them, and get on their level.
What is the hardest thing about being an event entertainer?
The hardest part for me is being busy when most everyone else is free, from the very nature of the job. Weekends, holidays, summers, they’re often the only time I can spend time with my friends, and I’m usually working.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to every parent planning a birthday party?
A wider variety of entertainment options (faces + balloons + glitter) will keep a small number of kids entertained for much longer, since they can quickly get bored of one thing. I like to start with faces, since everyone only has one face, and then move on to balloons so they can keep getting more and more.
What’s one thing you want every corporate event planner to know?
More artists will always help a large event go much more smoothly. Not only will having several artists speed up the line, but they can communicate and work together to both keep you in the loop and manage lots of guests.
What is the biggest factor in determining if a college event will go smoothly or not?
In my experience at college events, the event planner should be a single person in a leadership role with others to help them, even if that person is also a student. If the event planning team doesn’t have a single leader to direct things, communicate with vendors and basically call the shots, the event can quickly become chaotic.
What is your favorite activity for summer camp event entertainment and why?
I think foam parties would be an absolute blast for a summer camp, since kids can come in waves but also since nothing will get smudged (face painting, henna) or lost (balloons, caricatures.) With summer camps, kids are running around doing activities all day long, so anything they don’t have to carry or protect is best. Glitter and flash tattoos also fit this bill nicely.
Maria began her job as a face painter and balloon twister with Kaleidoscope in 2023 with the goal of finding a creative outlet alongside her corporate tech job. Working full-time at 
Jenni W is one of Kaleidoscope’s most seasoned artists! Jenni began with Kaleidoscope in 2016 as a face painter and balloon twister. With an eclectic creative background (she’s done everything from illustration and costuming to building actual airplanes), Jenni quickly picked a huge variety of art at Kaleidoscope including: