Check Out Nicole Cruz’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Cruz.

Hi Nicole, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, I was always the artsy, emotional, imaginative kid — but also extremely shy. My mom was a clown and entertainer, and when I was around six years old, she started dressing me up as a clown and taking me to parties with her. Honestly… I hated it at first 😭✨ I was painfully shy, so being in front of people felt terrifying to me. I remember wanting to hide more than perform.
But somewhere along the way, something changed.
Even though I fought it for so long, I slowly started falling in love with the magic behind it all — the face paint, the colors, the costumes, the laughter, and the feeling of making people smile. Creativity became my comfort zone before confidence ever did.
For a long time, I didn’t even realize being an artist could actually be a real career. I thought I had to choose something more “normal,” so I went to college for nursing for a bit and worked many different jobs over the years. But no matter where I went, I never truly fit in. Looking back now, I realize it’s because I was never meant to live inside a box. I’ve always been someone who creates their own world instead.
Art has always been who I am.
Now I run Pintando Mariposas full-time, where I get to combine art, imagination, entertainment, and childhood magic through face painting, clown and fairy entertainment, custom art, and creating unforgettable experiences for families and children.
It’s honestly beautiful to look back and realize that the thing I once dreaded the most became the thing that helped me find myself. The shy little girl who hated dressing up as a clown grew up into someone who now creates joy, color, and magic for a living ✨🦋

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. There were points in my life where I was working three jobs at once while still trying to grow my art business on the side. At the time, art was what I loved most, but realistically it wasn’t bringing in enough income yet to fully support me. I remember feeling exhausted trying to balance survival, responsibilities, and still holding onto my creative dreams at the same time.
Then Covid happened, and like so many people in the entertainment and event industry, everything suddenly stopped. Parties stopped, events stopped, bookings disappeared, and it honestly felt terrifying and uncertain for a while. It forced me to really reevaluate everything and rebuild from the ground up.
I think another challenge was learning to believe in myself as an artist. Creative careers are not always taken seriously, and for a long time I questioned whether I was capable of turning something so imaginative into a real business and full-time career.
But looking back now, I’m honestly grateful for every difficult season because it pushed me to grow, adapt, and keep creating even when things felt impossible. Those experiences taught me resilience, and they made me appreciate where I am today so much more. Now I’m in a place where I truly feel aligned with who I am and the work I create, and that feeling is incredibly rewarding ✨🦋

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an artist and creative entertainer who specializes in face painting, children’s entertainment, custom art, and creating immersive, magical experiences through my business, Pintando Mariposas. While a lot of people may first see the face painting or colorful setups, for me it has always been about something deeper than just entertainment. I truly love creating moments that make people feel inspired, seen, creative, and happy.
Growing up, I was really inspired by people like Mister Rogers and Bob Ross — people who made creativity feel comforting, magical, safe, and accessible to everyone. I think that inspiration naturally carried into the work I do now. I love encouraging people, especially children, to try something new, embrace imagination, and not be afraid to express themselves creatively.
One of my favorite parts of what I do is bringing people’s visions to life. Whether it’s through art, themed events, colorful characters, or custom pieces, I love taking an idea that exists in someone’s imagination and turning it into something real and memorable. I think what sets me apart is that I don’t just see this as a business — I genuinely see it as creating joy, wonder, and connection through creativity.
I’m most proud of the fact that I built something entirely around who I truly am. My work is colorful, emotional, playful, artistic, and a little whimsical — and I think people connect with that because it comes from a very genuine place ✨🦋

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I think one of the most important qualities behind my success has been authenticity. I’ve never really been able to be anything other than myself, and for a long time I actually saw that as a weakness because I felt different from a lot of people around me. I’m naturally very playful, emotional, imaginative, and honestly a little dorky — but over time I realized those were the exact qualities that helped people connect with me and my work.
I think people can feel when someone is being genuine, and I’ve always tried to carry that authenticity and charisma into everything I create. Whether I’m painting, entertaining at events, or designing something magical for a client, I want people to feel joy, comfort, creativity, and personality behind it.
I’ve also learned that success doesn’t always come from fitting in — sometimes it comes from fully embracing what makes you different. Once I stopped trying to force myself into spaces that didn’t align with me and started leaning into who I truly was, I found the people who genuinely appreciated my creativity and energy. That changed everything for me ✨🦋

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pintandomariposas.art/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pintandomariposas?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr