Jackson Free Press

With the number of positive COVID-19 cases rising in Mississippi, finding ways to safely entertain yourself and others at home has become even more crucial. Prissy Paintbrush Studios, a Ridgeland-based business that Hope "Prissy" Mallard opened in 2013, offers the increasingly popular Paint 2 Go kits that allow customers to unleash their inner artist within the safety of their homes.

Kits contain pre-drawn canvases featuring Mallard's own designs along with the paint and paintbrushes needed to complete the artworks. Mallard finds inspiration for her canvas drawings in all sorts of experiences, be it something she hears on the radio or sees day-to-day, and she notes that she enjoys drawing things she finds "bubbly and fun."

Customers can browse Prissy Paintbrush's website for art outlines they would like to fill in. After placing an order, patrons retrieve the Paint 2 Go kits via curbside pickup the following Saturday.

Before opening her business, Mallard worked as a dental assistant. All the while, however, art beckoned. When people started asking her to host paint parties, she realized an opportunity had presented itself, and she decided to start her own Paint and Sip studio, where people could enter, drink wine and paint.

During non-pandemic times, the studio's typical services and goods include Paint and Sip events, paint parties for kids, face painting and murals, along with custom canvases and door hangers. Shortly before the coronavirus landed in Mississippi, Mallard began selling party boxes, which evolved into the current Paint 2 Go program.

Like many businesses did during the mandatory quarantine period, Prissy Paintbrush closed its physical storefront, instead promoting the Paint 2 Go kits.

"I just recently opened back up a month ago, letting people come in and do socially distanced paint parties, and I can count on one hand how many parties I've actually had come into the studio, whereas the Paint 2 Go (service) is so popular," Mallard says. "That's what everybody wants to do. They want to paint from the comfort of their own home and get together with family."

With the current COVID-19 statistics, though, Mallard has once again temporarily closed the business' in-house studio, planning to reopen once cases decline. Until then, Prissy Paintbrush continues to sell a steady supply of Paint 2 Go kits.

"I have the same customers coming back to purchase kits," Mallard says. "They like to do it themselves—they have more time, and they don't feel rushed. They're in the luxury of their own home. It's been pretty awesome."

One of her most recent canvas drawings featured a nurse wearing a crown, which she created in honor of the health-care professionals serving on the frontline during this pandemic.

Other favorites include any of the pre-drawn canvas designed for kids, as well as her couples "Love" canvas, which features a simple and abstract outline.

To learn more or to purchase a Paint 2 Go kit, visit prissypaintbrushstudios.com.