In this colourful episode of the HerStory Podcast, host Kylie King travels (virtually!) to Merredin, Western Australia, to chat with the inspiring Sheree Lowe. Sheree is the founder of Paint the Town WA and the 2023 ALIBI Award winner for Side Hustle Superstar.

Sheree’s business journey is a testament to organic growth. What started as a simple YouTube tutorial to help with local government face painting has evolved into a thriving community art space. Sheree shares how she balances being a sole parent, working two part-time jobs, and volunteering for the local fire brigade – all while managing her creative business. We discuss the importance of creating safe spaces for women, the “Jurassic Park” analogy for mental health, and why thinking “like a tradie” is the secret to confident pricing.

What You’ll Learn in Episode 24

• How to turn a DIY skill (like face painting) into a profitable creative side hustle.

• The transition from a mobile business to opening your own physical Paint and Sip studio.

• Mental Health Strategies: Using the “Poo Analogy” to recognise early signs of burnout and overwhelm.

• The juggle of a “multi-hyphenate” life: Balancing sole parenting, part-time work, and volunteering.

• Pricing for Profit: Why women should stop volunteering discounts and start charging like a tradie.

• Designing inclusive spaces: How Sheree built an “art-craft club” that prioritises the comfort of women and mothers.

• Overcoming the “I’m not creative” myth: Why the process of painting is more important than the end result.

• The importance of community: Why free period products and baby-friendly spaces belong in every business.

Meet Sheree. She started face painting 8 years ago. When she began also painting temporary murals on windows, and then permanent murals on walls, floors and doors, as well as other random community artworks, “Paint the Town WA” was born!

Following the (mercifully short, in WA at least) Covid lockdown in 2020, she began running “paint and sip” style social art classes in her hometown of Merredin to help get locals out and about after those months of being isolated at home. They were incredibly popular, consistently selling out, so Sheree added social craft classes (so far including alcohol ink painting, polymer clay jewellery making, resin pouring, basket weaving and metal stamping) to her offerings. In May 2023 she opened her own commercial premises in the main street of Merredin.

Find Sheree:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaintTheTownWA/
Website: www.paintthetownwa.com

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