Erin Rosales, owner of Dare to Dabble, talks reinventing downtown KC, bringing the streetcar to NKC and more

Name: Erin Rosales

Occupation: Entrepreneur, artist and manic dreamer

Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri

Current neighborhood: North Kansas City

What I do: I’m an artist. I teach and inspire others to create art and make things in my interactive arts studio, Dare to Dabble.

What’s your addiction? Tea and shrimp but not in that particular order. I about cried when I realized I couldn’t have raw sushi while I was pregnant. I’ve been trying to overcompensate with shrimp. It’s not really working.

What’s your game? Coming up with contradictory phrases.

What’s your drink? Any kind of sparkling water. It makes me feel like a princess.

Where’s dinner? “I don’t know” is my typical response to anything regarding food, followed up by the favorite, “I don’t care.” We all know the truth to that statement.

What’s on your KC postcard? The Liberty Memorial. My parents are both veterans.

Finish this sentence: “Kansas City got it right when …” They reinvented downtown with developments like the Power & Light District and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. I’m excited to see what’s next.

“Kansas City screwed up when …” They didn’t bring the streetcar to the Northland. There is so much to do north of the river.

“Kansas City needs …” An MFA program for artists. A lot of talent leaves the city every year to further their studies elsewhere.

“In five years, I’ll be …” Taking my family on a lot of vacations.

“I always laugh at …” My partner, Brandon. He has this amazing ability to make me laugh regardless of my mood. He pulls me back into the present every time.

“I’ve been known to binge-watch …” Horror movies and horrible teen TV shows. The bad acting and overdramatized stories of people in their late 20s trying to act like they’re 16 are mesmerizing.

“I can’t stop listening to …” Dorothy. The lead singer is a rock-and-roll badass.

“I just read …” The history of découpage. True story.

The best advice I ever got: The only difference between you and the people out there living the life you aspire to is action. Do. Be. Do.

Worst advice: The worst advice I was ever given was not getting any advice at all regarding student loans. I wish I would have done more to start paying on my loans while I was still in school. Now I have this large chunk of debt that continues to grow at an alarming rate due to interest. I fully understood the process of taking out a loan and that I would be responsible for paying it back. I just didn’t think about the employment opportunities that would be available to help me pay back that loan. I was overly optimistic.

My sidekick: We haven’t formerly met, but her name is Iris. She likes to wiggle a lot in her weightless world, which is the strangest feeling ever. I can’t wait to meet her after Halloween. She just started dreaming a few weeks ago. What a long journey that awakens.

My dating triumph/tragedy: After the end of a very hurtful 12-year relationship, I decided to trust someone and love again. It has not been the easiest thing to let someone in after being taken advantage of so badly. I lucked out big-time. My life is now a wonderful place of possibilities, and we are going to welcome a new addition by the end of the year. None of it would be possible without putting one foot in front of the other and living in the present.

My brush with fame: I received a compliment regarding my artwork from Roger Bart. I retweeted something from Eli Roth, and then the next day I had this e-mail from my website. It took me a second to realize who it was from, but it was legit. That was pretty cool.

My 140-character soapbox: Every day is a choice. If you’re not happy, choose differently. Life is too short not to be happy.

What was the last thing you had to apologize for? Being a tired, hungry grouch.

Who’s sorry now? No one. Everyone’s happy when Erin’s not hangry.

My recent triumph: Living despite my fear that at any given moment the sky is falling. My Chicken Little complex is still there, but at least I’m not crippled by it today. Next on the list is to start painting for myself again. It’s been two years.