Kenosha art studio offers paint throwing as a therapy to help troubled youth

By AMANDA BECKER

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    KENOSHA, Wisconsin (WDJT) — A Kenosha artist is using paint to help others deal with their traumas and anxieties.

Katy Wallner started painting years ago as a form of therapy and expression, but she never thought it would turn into a business.

“Just letting every emotion that you may be feeling, letting that out,” said Wallner of her experience with paint.

She doesn’t just use a traditional paint brush though. She often throws the paint or uses a spin cycle to make unique designs.

“It’s just a unique art studio where you come in and it’s not about creating that certain image with a certain technique,” said Wallner.

Wallner now owns and operates Hot Mess Studios. It’s a place people come in to throw paint. And most of her sessions are used as psycho-social therapy for troubled youth and fostered teens.

“[They say] ‘this is so cool’. I love when they’re like ‘I don’t know how to do art’, and I say

‘Perfect, let’s just do it.”

It’s not about creating something that people understand or even admire, Wallner says it’s about the process.

“It’s just coming in and letting go, and letting your whole spirit guide you through the process,” said Wallner.

Wallner has a personal connection to paint throwing. She was a foster child herself, and she struggled with anxiety, among other traumas.

“I felt kind of outcast, said Wallner. “There’s just a whole different kind of traumas that come with that.”

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