Behind the Business: Twisted Canvas

LONG BEACH, Miss. (WLOX) - In this week’s “Behind the Business,” we’re in Long Beach, where a former educator’s teaching career became a work of art— literally. So much so, she created a space where individuals can feel like true artists.

Elizabeth Tyner sorts through one of many bins filled with paintings she has filled over the years at Twisted Canvas.

“I have close to 300 paintings that you can choose from, that’s in my Facebook gallery,” Tyner said. “If you look back, when I first started, I hardly had anything on my walls. Now I don’t have enough wall space to put everything... They’re all under there and those tables. They’re everywhere, and I just trade them out.”

With all the necessary materials, like paint, aprons, and canvas, Tyner began offering paint sessions and classes— all to share her love for art with others, ranging from young to old.

“We have birthday parties for kids, birthday parties for adults... We do bridal parties, I’ve done baby showers... I’ve done a first baby party,” Tyner said. “We have open paint nights for people who don’t want to have their own party, which means you come in and pick out whatever is in my gallery to paint, I pre-draw them, and you just come in and paint.”

Tyner walks through designs on dozens of canvases hung on the shop’s walls.

“Coastal is really big because we do live on the Coast,” Tyner said. “I have crab, crawfish... the bird, the turtles... My ladies are very popular.”

It’s no secret that Tyner has a love and passion for art. However, she hasn’t always been an artist, much less a paint studio owner.

“When I went into teaching, I always wanted to be an art teacher, but I know those jobs are hard to come by,” Tyner said. “I got a degree in elementary education and my masters in secondary, and there was no art in there. So I went to work at a Christian school, and she said ‘We need an art teacher. Can you do it?’ I found that I really enjoyed it.”

Tyner said the hardest part of starting her business was finding a location.

“If you’ve ever owned a business, it’s always location, location, location. I wanted to keep it in Long Beach because I’m from Long Beach, and I looked all over Long Beach, and I found this building. It has four stop signs... location.”

Tyner says whenever she walks inside her studio, all the paintings lining the walls, and even the ones tucked away, are a constant reminder of how far she has come.

“I put a lot in it, and it does make me feel really good that I have survived for eight years... through COVID, the economy, everything. So it makes me feel really good that I am still here.”

Twisted Canvas is located at 6190 Beatline Road. If you’re interested in learning more, visit their website.

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