One Smart Woman: Clowning around is all in the family
By Beth Vrabel for Smart
ABOUT KAREN SAWYER
Age: 42
Town: Lives in Springettsbury Township
Occupation: Owner of Changing Faces 4 Fun, children’s entertainer and makeup artist
Family: 7-year old son, 3-year-old twin boys, guardian of boys ages 14 and 13; husband, Mark
Tell us about your career?
Actually, what I do is bring smiles to people. The main thing that I do to bring smiles to people is to be Skeeta the Clown. That could be a private thing like a birthday party or a corporate thing like a company party.
I also do fantasy painting and a magic show.
How did you become Skeeta the Clown?
I started face painting at the numerous birthday parties that I had as a foster parent. I realized that I really enjoyed face painting, so I started taking classes. One of the classes was at a clown convention. I was so impressed with the people. They were very warm, very sharing, very fun. I just went there for face painting and started getting a clown profile myself.
How does your family support and inspire your work?
My oldest son performs with me. He does balloon animals. He’s with me a lot. He refuses to be a clown, which is OK.
What is a typical day like for you?
My typical day is, of course, getting children ready for school, to the bus stop. Then, when I come back, I’m dealing with the twins -- feeding, clothing, bathing and playing with them.
And the phone is ringing all day long. I’m updating my Web site, planning events, preparing dinner, picking up from the school bus.
Then finding time to shower and get myself dressed.
I’m making phone calls, making appointments.
Wow, it’s nonstop.
As a mother of five, how do you find time to focus on yourself?
I would say, to be honest, I don’t really focus on myself. I focus on myself more for the business.
I might take time off to go to a clown convention or to take an instructional class. I teach, also. I take time that way. It does get me away from the five kids and the husband.
You had a dramatic shift from sales to working with children. What advice do you have for women who want to take on something new?
Actually, it may appear to people that it’s dramatic. Actually, I look at it in a way that all of my life experiences came together to do this business.
Just find what you’re really passionate about and go with that. I’ve always been really passionate about children and about marketing. Those were my talents. So I pulled my talents and skills together.
Find something that you enjoy doing so much that you would do it for free but do it so well that people would pay you for it.
It doesn’t feel like I’m working. And I’m working ’round the clock. I can’t separate it from who I am.
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