We had the good fortune of connecting with Maureen Dibble and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maureen, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve always loved creating art since I was a small child. Give me a new box of crayons with bright, pointy new tips when I was a little kid and I was in heaven. Over the years I’ve enjoyed drawing, painting, ceramics, candle making, and more. I took every art class available to me in high school and college. I loved it all. Then after college life got in the way of creating art. I was busy with marriage, work, raising two beautiful daughters and taking care of my mom. No time for art but I didn’t mind. My family has always been my priority. Then years later a very unexpected thing happened. My sister started a face painting business. It kept her pretty busy. She asked me if I would be willing to learn to face paint so I could help out. I initially said no. I’d painted on just about every surface imaginable but never on people, much less small children who are constantly in motion. Just the thought of it intimidated me. My sister persevered and I finally decided to give it a go. My first little model was my 4 year old niece. She graciously allowed me to paint a ladybug on her cheek. I was hooked. How fun! I CAN DO THIS! The rest as they say is history. I took some classes and practiced…a lot. Then I practiced some more. I worked for my sister until she eventually closed her business at which point I struck out on my own. Just a small part time venture, more just for fun and to earn a little extra money. I did that for a year or so and it was going well. Then tragedy struck our family. In 2007 my husband of over 30 years was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of leukemia. We lost him just 9 months later at the age of 55. It was an unimaginable loss for our family that we still cope with to this day. Not long after I realized this was sink or swim time for me financially. What was I going to do to make a living? I had worked for attorneys for years. I was good at it. I could go back. Or I could try to make a go of my face painting business full time. I opted for the latter. It was the best decision I could have made. It was a lot of hard work and it took time but my business is thriving. It’s been 18 years since I painted that ladybug on my niece. I will always be grateful to my sister for encouraging me to do this. I have loved every minute!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I offer quality face painting for birthday parties, corporate events, school and church events, picnics, festivals and much more. I am fully licensed and insured, background checked and I use only the highest quality FDA compliant products. I go above and beyond to be a consummate professional at all times and to not only meet, but exceed my client’s expectations. I love my job and I love the families I meet every week. The kids are an absolute joy to work with. They make me laugh all the time and they are so easy to please. They love their face paintings and the look on their faces when they see themselves transformed in the mirror is priceless. How lucky am I to be able to do this for a living and make children happy!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If a good friend was visiting from out of town there are plenty of fun and exciting things to see and do in South Florida! I think I would let them take the lead and let me know what they are interested in doing while they are here and we could take it from there. After all I want to make sure they have the best time ever! I’d be happy to take them up to Disney World if they like or we could head south and go to South Beach and hit up some of the many clubs, restaurant and shops. If we stay local to Palm Beach County our beautiful beaches would be a must and maybe a tour of the Jupiter Lighthouse! We could climb it if they feel adventurous! I’m afraid of heights and I’ve done it! It’s awesome! Then we could have dinner and drinks at one of our many amazing area restaurants. One of my favorites is the Key Lime House in Lantana. It’s located on the Intracoastal in Lantana and has a very mellow, tropical vibe. Perfect for someone visiting the area. Another day we could take a drive along South Ocean Blvd. in Palm Beach and take a stroll on Worth Avenue to window shop. Then there’s Clematis By Night. And the next day maybe Lion Country Safari? So many choices, so little time! They will just have to come back and visit again!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am forever grateful to my family who have been supportive every step of the way over the past 18 years since I started my face painting business, in particular my two daughters Jennifer and Noelle and my sister Janine, who introduced me to face painting way back when!

Website: faceartbydaisy.vpweb.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/faceartbydaisy/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/faceartbydaisy/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/face-art-by-daisy-west-palm-beach?osq=face+art+by+daisy

Other: Cell phone: 561-386-0594 Email: daisy1856@aol.com

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