Made in the Hudson Valley: Westchester mother turns passion project of painting glassware into 22KATKRAFTS
Whether it's a martini glass or a champagne flute, Larkin paints all types of glasses and then bakes them in the oven, ensuring they are dishwasher safe.
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Dot by dot, Kristen Larkin works on painting her latest piece of glassware: The main draw for her shop 22KATKRAFTS.
"The main design is confetti," she said. "I saw a picture of a confetti-painted glass and my goal was to try and get that skill and get that art done. So, I do very classic designs [and] confetti in different colors."
Whether it's a martini glass or a champagne flute, Larkin paints all types of glasses and then bakes them in the oven, ensuring they are dishwasher safe. This passion project of Larkin's originally began as a side hustle, a way to provide a sense of peace as she worked in the finance industry.
"I was investment banking for half my life, and towards the end of my career, I started painting glasses just for fun," she explained. " I ultimately left my career in finance and decided, 'Why don't I do this full time?' I went from six figures to six dollars, but I'm much happier."
As her shop grew and she continued perfecting her pointillistic painting skills, Larkin wanted to share this passion project in more ways than one. As a result, she created a new activity for clients.
" I like to call them 'art therapy with a splash' because I'm not a licensed art therapist," Larkin explained. "I bring all the material to you, and you create your own glass. You paint it yourself. I show you how to paint it."
The sessions have not only been a healing moment for her customers, but also for Larkin herself.
"I love what I do," she said. "I don't get tired of it. I meet a ton of people… We'll all be laughing through the whole thing, and at the end, they will all have created something amazing and specific to them."
Anyone interested in purchasing one of Larkin's glasses or creating their own through an "art therapy" session can go to her shop's website or message her on the shop's Instagram page.
