Dominique is one of New Hampshire’s most requested childrens’ party magicians, and it’s no wonder!
With her BA in Early Childhood Education, her years of experience working as a PreSchool teacher, and her love for all things fun, Dominique can come to your party in a number of characters for face painting, balloon twisting, song and game, and magic packages!
Dominique’s characters include:
A mermaid
A pirate
A fairy
A clown
herself without a costume
Her package options include:
Face painting
Balloon twisting
Glitter tattoos
Songs and games
A kids’ magic show
Mix and match to your hearts’ content!
Dominique was also trained by our very own Kenny the Clown, one of New England’s most experienced and requested childrens’ entertainers with over a decade and 500+ parties of experience under his belt.
Didi joined the Kaleido-crew as a face painter and balloon twister in 2023, and is available for events in and around Springfield MA.
Didi is not only a trained actress, but had been working as a daycare teacher since 2019. She joined Kaleidoscope with the goal of combining her love for arts and working with children, and is currently finishing her Associate’s in Early Childhood Development from Holyoke Community College.
You can invite Didi to your next event for any of the following packages:
Didi is also bilingual in English or Spanish, and can entertain in both languages!
Interview with Didi: Springfield MA Face Painter and Balloon Twister
When and why did you start working at Kaleidoscope?
I started working at Kaleidoscope in 2023 and My mom and dad did theater together when they were younger, and my dad’s side of the family are musicians. So, I have always had a special place for the arts in my heart and I just wanted to do something I love. I was searching online for arts-related jobs when I found this one. I’ve loved it here ever since I started!
What’s your favorite art form (or performance etc) to do here?
I absolutely love balloon twisting. It’s so creative and the kids’ reactions are priceless. Also, dressing up as a mermaid or a fairy, I love making my own characters and bringing them to life.
What is your favorite part of balloon twisting?
My favorite part of balloon twisting is the moment when I finish a creation and hand it over to a child. It’s really fulfilling to do make something out of thin air, but then the look of wonder and excitement on their face is amazing. It really brings me a lot of joy.
If you could only pick one, would you rather do face painting or balloon twisting forever and why?
That’s a tough one, but I think I would choose being a balloon twister. I love the creativity it involves and I’m just so much better at it because of how much I love it. When you like what you do, it comes easily!
What is one surprising fact about you?
I can speak three languages, including Spanish and some American Sign Language.
What do you think your superpower as a Balloon Twister or Face Painter is?
My ability to connect with children and bring their imagination to life. To me this isn’t just a job, but a passion. I genuinely love what I do and I think the kids can sense that when I’m creating something for them.
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
A party where I dressed up as a mermaid for a little girl’s birthday party, who was obsessed with mermaids and the ocean. The joy on her face was unforgettable.
What is the hardest thing about being an event entertainer?
Keeping up with the energy levels of the kids. Especially for our toddler games packages, it takes a lot of energy keeping up with a group of them. But that energy is also one of the most rewarding thing because I get to feel like a kid again and play along with them.
What’s one piece of advice you give to every parent planning a birthday party?
Don’t stress about the little things. The most important thing is that the kids have fun.
What is the biggest factor in determining if a larger event will go smoothly or not?
Communication. It’s key to make sure everyone is on the same page about what to expect.
Sarah S is a henna artist and face painter New Haven CT.
A former elementary and middle school art teacher with decades of experience in fine art, she’s based in Southern Connecticut and travels throughout New England for events. She began with Kaleidoscope in 2023 as a face painter, balloon twister, UV face/body painter, henna artist, and paint night instructor.
In her personal art, Sarah explores and plays in many artistic mediums and modalities, from painting to sculpture, photography, gardening, metalsmithing, installation art, and teaching. Forever a student of the creative process, her style reflects her deep connection to intuitive art creation.
Also a yoga instructor and former art teacher, Sarah finds harmony between her yoga & meditation practice and her art practice. Sarah is inspired by the beauty of this amazing planet, the wisdom and resiliency of the human body and spirit, ecofeminism, and the mysteries of the Cosmos.
Interview with Sarah: Henna Artist & Face Painter New Haven
When did you know you wanted to be a professional artist? How did you become a professional face painter and henna artist?
I’ve always wanted to be an artist. I was encouraged from a young age to follow my heart and pursue it as a path, which I’m really thankful for.
In 2023 I saw an opportunity to learn face painting which I was really excited about, and from there I began expanding my skills in party entertainment to include henna, balloon twisting, and a few other things.
You also do balloon twisting. What do you like more: balloon twisting or face painting New Haven? Why?
Painting is one of my favorite things to do. I loooove anything paint-related, and face painting helps me build my painting skills in a new way since it’s so technically distinct from other types of painting. It’s also an amazing feeling to bring joy to the faces of our clients!
What do you like most being a CT henna artist?
There are history and mystique around henna which I like feeling connected to. It also feels like serendipity because, as a fine artist, I’ve enjoyed drawing henna-inspired designs for years before I was trained as a henna artist for parties. I think it’s amazing how these designs can be applied to skin and look beautiful!
I’m also a plant and nature enthusiast, and since henna paste is made from the henna plant, I delight in the intersection of art and nature. A lot of my personal art work incorporates nature, so it feels very personal to gift party guests henna tattoos as part of my work here.
What is your favorite part of the job?
It’s important to me to feel empowered and energized in a job, and with Kaleidoscope I do! It feels amazing and fulfilling to share with people something I love doing!
What is the hardest part of the job?
I love to travel, but sometimes driving long distances in one day can be challenging.
Also, I’m consistently learning new skills outside of my comfort zone— sometimes it takes time for the confidence to show up in the learning process.
What is one party you’ll never forget?
A glitter looks face painting event in NYC at the Plaza Hotel for a private museum gala 🙂 it was a really elegant event and it was fun to entertain guests in such a beautiful and glamorous party!
Jenni W is one of Kaleidoscope’s most seasoned artists! Jenni began with Kaleidoscope in 2016 as a face painter and balloon twister. With an eclectic creative background (she’s done everything from illustration and costuming to building actual airplanes), Jenni quickly picked a huge variety of art at Kaleidoscope including:
Interview with Jenni: West Hartford CT Caricature Artist and Balloon Twister
When and why did you start working at Kaleidoscope?
I was seventeen and looking for a side job I could do on the weekends. I found the listing randomly and since I was already a digital artist, a job in the arts sounded fun – plus, I’d previously had a summer job as a wedding florist which gave me an idea of what to expect in the event industry.
What’s your favorite art form (or performance etc) to do here? What is your favorite part of it?
I find caricatures to be really challenging in a satisfying way – I’m always looking to improve and there’s real, measurable ways to improve. I enjoy comparing my old caricatures to my more recent work and seeing how I’ve grown!
If you could only pick one, would you rather do face painting or balloon twisting forever and why?
I think balloon twisting has more room for improvement: meaning, after years and years of experience, I could still be getting better and making more and more impressive designs. I feel like face painting has a definite skill ceiling, although there’s tons of ways to branch out into body painting and UV that I’m interested.
What are people’s reactions when you tell them You’re a professional Balloon Twister or Caricature Artist?
It takes a bit of explaining for most people to understand what it is I actually do, but they tend to find it unique and kind of funny. I think they look at me and go, ‘yeah, I can see it.’ (Not sure what about me looks like a balloon twister, but I’ll take it!)
What is one surprising fact about you?
My dad is a recreational pilot with a homebuilt P-36 Hawk scale replica, and I’ve been flying in GA aircraft since I was a baby. I’ve always wanted my own Curtiss Jenny biplane!
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about what you do?
I think people don’t expect the amount of discipline it requires to work in the event industry. They hear you’re a balloon twister and think you must not be that serious, but really it requires a lot of organization and flexibility.
Your schedule is completely random and you often have very long days, even if the event itself is relatively short. There is a lot of driving. It’s not just fun and games– it can be easy to burn out.
What do you think your superpower as an artist is?
I have a lot of versatility, in that I have a wide variety of different skills from dabbling in different art forms. I’ve always preferred to be a jack of all trades and a master of none, and the opportunities to learn new art forms to add to my arsenal is one of my favorite parts of this job.
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
I have a lot of stories, but I’ll never forget the birthday party for a thirteen year old girl and a few of her friends in her basement. I was there as a balloon twister and face painter doing a combo package. It was so chill, I got to hang out at their slumber party for a bit, and after I was done, someone came with various insect and reptile animal ambassadors and I got to hold a stick bug! How cool is that for a birthday party!
What’s your favorite part of Entertaining at Kids Parties?
I honestly love just never knowing what to expect. I’ve had a lot of fun, crazy, weird, unique experiences. Every day is a little different, and that suits me.
What’s your favorite part of being an artist?
This question feels a bit like ‘what’s your favorite part of being a human.’ As in, what else would I be? It’s just a part of who I am and it always has been. Doing art professionally, it’s fulfilling in a way that validates that experience; I am meant for this, I am capable of this, and it’s me.
What’s your favorite part of working with kids?
They always surprise you. Sometimes kids will have such big personalities or say such wild things that I can’t help but laugh. I also feel like it helps me connect with my own inner child a bit to be able to spend time with them, relate with them, and get on their level.
What is the hardest thing about being an event entertainer?
The hardest part for me is being busy when most everyone else is free, from the very nature of the job. Weekends, holidays, summers, they’re often the only time I can spend time with my friends, and I’m usually working.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to every parent planning a birthday party?
A wider variety of entertainment options (faces + balloons + glitter) will keep a small number of kids entertained for much longer, since they can quickly get bored of one thing. I like to start with faces, since everyone only has one face, and then move on to balloons so they can keep getting more and more.
What’s one thing you want every corporate event planner to know?
More artists will always help a large event go much more smoothly. Not only will having several artists speed up the line, but they can communicate and work together to both keep you in the loop and manage lots of guests.
What is the biggest factor in determining if a college event will go smoothly or not?
In my experience at college events, the event planner should be a single person in a leadership role with others to help them, even if that person is also a student. If the event planning team doesn’t have a single leader to direct things, communicate with vendors and basically call the shots, the event can quickly become chaotic.
What is your favorite activity for summer camp event entertainment and why?
I think foam parties would be an absolute blast for a summer camp, since kids can come in waves but also since nothing will get smudged (face painting, henna) or lost (balloons, caricatures.) With summer camps, kids are running around doing activities all day long, so anything they don’t have to carry or protect is best. Glitter and flash tattoos also fit this bill nicely.
Allie B is a colorful caricature artist, face painter, and balloon twister located in Providence, Rhode Island.
After graduating with her Associate’s in Fine Art, Allie spent several years working at Disney World before combining her loves for art and all things animated at Kaleidoscope.
Allie began working with our team in 2019 and specializes in small events looking for combination packages with just one artist who can show off their skills in a range of art mediums.
Interview with Providence RI Caricature Artist and Face Painter: Allie!
When and why did you start working at Kaleidoscope?
2019. I was working at Disney World and broke my foot while working. I had to come back home due to lack of accommodations for my injury and having my hours cut while I was unable to work. I ended up finding a job ad for Kaleidoscope, and here we are.
What is your favorite part of being a caricature artist or face painter?
Actually using my degree, as well as the skills I’ve developed from childhood to now. Most people think there’s no work in the arts, and that’s not true–although most people who go into visual art ultimately don’t work in it.
If you could only pick one, would you rather do face painting or balloon twisting forever and why?
Face painting. You really are only limited by your imagination and skill level, rather than those AND physics.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about what you do?
Mostly people get surprised I actually get paid to do this lol I’ve had a lot of people who see me working as a face painter or caricature artist assume I’m a friend of the family/a volunteer/etc.
What do you think your superpower as an artist is?
Being flexible and adaptable with designs to fit each kid, and figuring out some special requests that only a kid could think of. Also knowing a lot about like, Pokémon and cartoons and Disney.
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
I mean, working a gig at a multimillionaire’s under construction brownstone was pretty memorable. I also worked a gig at the Berklee Student Showcase, and got to listen to a bunch of upcoming musical acts while working.
What’s your favorite part of your Being a Face Painter or Caricature Artist?
Besides getting to use my skills? When kids remember you from other events or previous years and get really excited to see you again. They’re so much fun!
One of my most favorite things about working with kids, especially younger ones is how honest, open, and enthusiastic most of them are. Like they just say whatever comes to mind a lot of the times, and often it’s really funny and sweet. Also they really love glitter.
What is the hardest thing about being an event entertainer?
When you have to end the event and tell kids no, or cut a line. I don’t like disappointing the kids. Also all the driving; especially inside Boston proper. That’s a killer.
What’s one piece of advice you give to every parent planning a birthday party?
I recommend having kind of a rough schedule of when things should happen, ie. when to cut the cake, when to open presents, especially if you want to maximize the time you have your face painter/balloon twister/etc; but also be a bit flexible with it bc kids are kids and don’t always wanna stop what they’re doing right away lol
What’s one thing you want every corporate event planner to know?
Keep in mind parking and the easiest/fastest way for your entertainers to get from parking to your event location/a meet up spot. Especially in city areas.
What is the biggest factor in determining if a college event will go smoothly or not?
Honestly with college kids and teens, on my end at least, just running a more relaxed chill atmosphere. They’re not children, and it’s a different vibe. They wanna be treated as peers/full adults. Also you can straight up tell them no if a design is a no-go, unlike with kids, especially small ones, who you usually kind of have to dance around the subject or be extremely gentle with the no
Meet Concord NH balloon twister, face painter, caricature artist, and children’s party entertainer, Kaleb!
Kaleb began with Kaleidoscope in Spring 2023, shortly before graduating high school at Pinkerton Academy with a focus in Fine Arts and World Language. In high school he took several AP art classes, was part of the National Art Honors Society, and President of his high school chess club.
Now a student at the University of New Hampshire, Kaleb is studying American Sign Language with the goal to become an interpreter who helps deaf and hard-of-hearing children. His minor is fine art.
In 2024, Kaleb completed his internship with Northeast Region Special Touch Summer Get Away, a camp for children with disabilities, where he worked with kids and teens who are deaf, hard of hearing, and on the autism spectrum.
When not working with children, Kaleb enjoys working on illustration commissions, anime, and animation.
FAQ with Concord NH Face Painter & Balloon Twister Kaleb
Why did you want to become a face painter & balloon twister?
I needed a job to help me pay for school and I love art. I’m study ASL because I love to work with kids, but I’m passionate about illustration, so working at Kaleidoscope seemed the best of both worlds.
What areas do you service?
I work all throughout New Hampshire, southern Maine, and northern Massachusetts.
What do you like most about being a children’s party entertainer?
I like that every single party is different. I like traveling to new parts of New England. It’s never boring, and a lot of the kids are really fun.
What is one thing you wish every client knew?
The more information we have when you’re booking, the easier our arrival and set up are. I love when clients include maps or extra parking instructions.
Bianca is an experienced princess performer, balloon twister, and face painter with a super interesting background!
She started as a party entertainer with Kaleidoscope in 2022, and brings an impressive background as an entertainer both through cosplay and as a professional Twitch streamer. Here’s what she has to say about herself:
My name is Bianca, and I am an avid cosplayer, Twitch affiliate, and Disney fanatic. Although I originally adapted my makeup and costume skills as a cosplayer, I was given many opportunities to truly shape my craft while performing at events and immersing myself fully into the characters I love.
I understand the difference between cosplay and a professional acting gig and the sheer importance of creating memorable experiences for families and children. I’ve worked with children for many years, having started my adult career as a camp counselor for 4 years. I pay special attention to character details, personality traits, and lore related to the universe they come from. I often hyperfocus on these details because they help the characters come alive.
I’m thankful to have become a face painter and balloon twister more recently, because while I get the greatest joy out of interpreting the characters I love, it’s a new creative challenge that I’ve loved to explore!
I am Mexican-American, and I take great pride in my Latina heritage and culture. I’ve always been particularly enamored by Honey Lemon from the 2014 Disney film, Big Hero 6; but, I also deeply connect with Queen Elsa and Rapunzel. It always brings me great joy to portray the latter characters, who are prominently depicted as Caucasian, because it shows others (and especially children of color!) that their favorite Disney princesses can look just like them!
At Kaleidoscope, Bianca will be interpreting a number of princesses, pirates, and fairies that are unique to her.
In addition to her fantastic background as a cosplayer and princess, she entertains here doing:
Have you ever seen a celebrity magician read someone’s mind on TV? Or guess something about a total stranger they could have never known? Consider bringing those larger-than-life moments to your next event!
Kaleidoscope now offers jaw-dropping, impossible-for-you-to-know, and get out of my head! psychic encounters with our resident mentalist, Marissa.
Alexandra the Mermaid is one of Kaleidoscope’s specialty characters who would love to entertain at your party!
Here are some of the options for booking Alexandra.
Kids Bubble Play Parties
If you’re looking for mermaid entertainment at your kids party, Alexandra offers bubble play packages!
Every Alexandra bubble party comes with:
Alexandra dressed in the costume of your choice (walking mermaid fin, pirate, fairy, or clown)
2 commercial bubble machines to fill your party with bubbles for the duration of her stay
Your option of face painting, balloon twisting, and/or glitter tattoos (depending on the size of your party)
30 minutes of bubble play with Alexandra
Bubble Party FAQs
Can she wear a swimming tail and get in the pool with the kids? For the safety of Alexandra and all party guests, Alexandra cannot get in water at any event.
What does her tail look like? Alexandra has 2 tails: her walking dress (for kids’ bubble parties) and her swimmable fin (for meet and greets or with a stationary activity with a second entertainer). See our mermaid options here, but for bubble parties, she will come in her walking fin unless otherwise specified.
What games do you have for bubble play? Alexandra will set up a table of fun bubble supplies for kids, as well as play a variety of bubble and water-themed singalong / copy-me games with them. These games are more fun when adults join in the party, and are recommended for ages 2-5.
How many bubbles do the bubble machines make? Our bubble machines are professional grade and can create a ton of bubbles! However, if you’re looking for mountains and mountains of bubble bath, we recommend our foam dance parties.
Swimmable Fins
Most of our kids parties with Alexandra include her in a walking fin dress to make party activities more doable.
However, if you’d like her to come in her realistic silicone fin, Alexandra is available for meet-and-greets and corporate modeling. Ask our office about meet-and-greet pricing!
More about Alexandra
When living on land, Alexandra is a fashion student at Savana College of Art & Design and works at Kaleidoscope on her summer and winter breaks. Her hobbies include cosplay, everything Disney, and of course mermaid conventions!
Marissa at the “Angels en la Casa” show at Art Space, Hartford, showing off body painting in 2013. Marissa won the show’s “People’s Choice” category for her contribution and began working with Kaleidoscope shortly after.
Marissa is a professional party entertainer based out of West Hartford, CT who began her career as a theme park face painter during her summers in college. After finishing her B.A. in Art from CCSU, she dove head-first into her love of face painting and completed her Special Effects Makeup certification from La Bella Makeup School in Danbury.
Marissa started at Kaleidoscope in 2013 and is available to entertain at your event for almost any type of party entertainment we offer including:
Marissa also works in the Kaleidoscope office as the Head of Talent and is involved in hiring, training, and managing all of our amazing party artists, as well as with anything else the office might need. (If you’ve had one of our artists at your event, odds are they were trained by Marissa!)
See some of her verified reviews here:
When and why did you start Face and Body Painting?
I started working as a face painter at a theme park as a summer job. I was in art school and I needed extra income for when my on-campus graphic design job paused for the summer. The first time I picked up a face painting brush it filled me with joy–I wanted to do it forever!
What’s your favorite art form (or performance etc) to do here?
I still have huge love for face painting, but I think tarot and mentalism are my favorites now. I have less opportunities to do them (they’re more niche than most services we provide) and I love connecting with people when I do them!
If you could only pick one, would you rather do face painting or balloon twisting forever and why?
Ahhhh that’s hard…. maybe balloon twisting (even if I love face painting more) just because I’ve mastered face painting, and it’s literally endless what I could do and learn with balloons!
What are people’s reactions when you tell them You’re a professional party entertainer?
They’re in disbelief that this is a real job! Most people don’t think arts jobs exist, but they do and I wishes we conveyed that message to the public. The working artists I know aren’t “starving” or “depressed”. We love our work, we have financial goals, and we know how lucky we are to be here. I truly love being a face painter, and I have plenty of other artist friends who have amazing niche jobs.
What is one surprising fact about you?
I don’t paint or draw for fun anymore! People assume that since this is my job, but like everyone else I want to clock out of work and relax at the end of the day. I normally garden, read, or exercise to unwind after work.
What do you think your superpower as an Face Painter or Balloon Twister is?
I love making kids laugh and feel good, including shy ones! I used to be a classroom teacher, so I’m also patient with the not-so-shy ones. (And I think that energy goes even farther than good art!)
What was the most memorable party you ever entertained at?
I have a horrible fear of heights (not falling, just being high) and I was once scheduled for the top of a sky scraper… in a pent house in Boston…. on an open balcony. I still managed to get through the event, but I don’t know how!
What is the biggest factor in determining if a college event will go smoothly or not?
Please tell us where parking is! Please send a map! I love college events but they’re logistically so challenging when we don’t know where anything on your campus is. Explain it to us like we’re blind, our GPS is dead, and we’ve never seen a university campus before in out lives.
What is your favorite activity for summer camp event entertainment and why?
Foam! Our foam cannons are so cool, it really gets the kids energy out and they’re just sooo fun even for counselors. You can make it work easily for your camp schedule too. I wish we’d had them when we were kids!
Allie B is a colorful caricature artist, face painter, and balloon twister located in Providence, Rhode Island.
