They met in an advanced painting class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Now married for 35 years, Marianne and Craig Burt own two successful Wine & Design locations in Apex and Cary, North Carolina. For the past 10 years, they have brought art classes to these local communities, providing a space in which individuals can freely express themselves.

“We’re all about the customer experience,” said Craig. “The drive and passion for art that people walk out with is the best product we could ever sell.” Marianne echoed Craig’s sentiment.

“Our customers love the energy we’ve established in the studios, the freedom to be creative and the friendly atmosphere where everyone is welcome,” she said. “Craig and I genuinely care about and love our staff and customers. We want guests to have fun and experience something new, whether that’s a painting technique or something they learn about themselves in the
process of creating.”

Both professionally trained artists from Chicago, the Burts bring over 30 years of artistic experience to their clients. Craig worked as a professional digital retoucher in advertising for several years. Marianne worked closely with Claire B. Zeisler, a noted American fiber artist for ten years, then began selling her own Fine Art paintings at Gallery Shows and festivals.

When the Gulf War took a toll on American economics in the early 1990s, Craig’s digital imaging studio was on the line. As the company he and his partner owned struggled to make ends meet, Craig felt that the designers and creatives were short-changed and left to find new avenues. He took a job with a Raleigh North Carolina design layout company before running his own digital
imaging business for several years. However, when the 2008 recession hit, the Burts experienced another downturn.

“We’d officially lost our income and had to downsize our house,” Marianne said. “At the time, our two sons were still in high school, so we needed the means to provide for them. That’s when we saw an ad on Craigslist for lead artists with a start-up company called Wine & Design. Theywanted to see our portfolios and called us in for an interview and asked us to present mini-
painting-lessons in [Wine & Design founder and CEO] Harriet Mills’s kitchen and living room.”

When Marianne and Craig met Mills, they were unsure of the concept but quickly realized the viability of Wine & Design’s business idea. In 2010, the Burts were hired to be the brand’s lead artists. They were soon asked to pioneer the first franchise location for the company, which
opened in Cary, North Carolina in 2011.

“We knew we needed to partner with Harriet,” said Craig. “Wine & Design is a great business model since it strongly encourages recurring patrons and provides artists with jobs. Marianne and I quickly purchased the first franchise studio in Cary, posting nightly classes on the website and advertising through social media and marketing materials for the company. From there, the
business grew and people started flocking to the opportunity.”

With their business open, the Burts just needed guests. They went door to door passing out business cards and flyers, and in a grassroots fashion, the couple raised awareness for the brand by wearing Wine & Design shirts when out to dinner. They saw every opportunity as a sales opportunity.

Marianne and Craig taught every class for the first six months at their Cary location. Once their studios took off, the couple began hiring and training local artists who shared their same philosophy and passion for art. Today, between both studios, the Burts and their team of artists teach between 125 and 135 classes a month.

Looking back, the couple never thought of owning two studios, let alone celebrating the nine- year anniversary of their first location. With their second Wine & Design recently established in Apex, the Burts are open to expanding their businesses, as they expressed they’ll never say no
to growth.

“We’re artists,” said Marianne. “We aren’t corporate people. The corporate world and art are twodifferent worlds and we express ourselves differently. But we are lucky to have this franchise opportunity with Wine & Design, which has been so supportive. This business employs artists who have no steady jobs, allowing them to make a living doing what they always wanted to: art.”

The Burts continue to embody a passion for art in their studios, encouraging their guests to ignite their own. In fact, the couple identified 34% of their guests as returning customers, some of which had never tried painting before stopping by their Wine & Design studios.

To spark creativity within others and within the community, both of the Burts’ studios provide open paint sessions and classes for charity organizations. The couple has partnered with Project ALS, Neuse River Golden Retriever Rescue, Best Friend Pet Adoption, Pinups For Pitbulls, Triangle Beagle Rescue, National Foundation for Transplants along with dozens more non-profit
organizations and their local Chambers of Commerce.

Marianne and Craig have seen incredible success over the past five years in particular, as they won the Division Dominator Award at the 2019 Annual Wine & Design Conference, which celebrates the brand’s 80 studios all in one place. The Burts’ Cary studio has been ranked the No. 1 studio in sales for the past five years in a row.

“Those sales are earned through our honest teamwork and integrity,” said Craig. “Our staff and customers are what make us successful. It’s the relationships and communication we’ve built with
our team and providing the utmost respect for what they do.”

Marianne and Craig also said that they enjoy bringing recognition to the talent of their artists—those on staff as well as their customers. Marianne added that being in business with Wine & Design has allowed her and Craig to see true talent and its superior execution on canvas.

“This business has been the best job we’ve ever had in our lives,” said Marianne. “We’re artists. We’re employing artists full-time. We’re helping people discover their creativity. It’s the happiest
we’ve ever been.”

By: Samantha Chmara

1851- No Limit Agency