Sontia’s Mason’s love of coloring began with tragedy. When she was 9 years old, a traumatic event changed her family’s life. Coloring became a form of release for her and her mother, Crystal Carroll — a therapeutic space that eventually evolved into a passion for helping others heal through creative action.

Her studio’s approach is rooted in color psychology and mindfulness. Mason designs prompts around emotions like fear, gratitude, or identity, encouraging workshop participants to choose colors that reflect their inner experience.

“Color can bypass resistance and speak directly to the soul,” she said. “It gives people a voice when they can’t always find the words.”

On September 26, Mason will lead a communal three-dimensional coloring project to celebrate the Wichita Art Museum’s 90th birthday during a WAM Night event from 6-8 p.m. 

She has also created coloring pages and led workshops for organizations such as WAM, Rainbows United and local schools. This past summer, she led a teen-focused event at the Advanced Learning Library as part of the Color Our World series.

 “We wanted to work with a local artist who could help kids tap into mindfulness and creativity,” said Lexie Ternes, teen services librarian. “Sontia was the perfect fit. The teens loved her energy and the message behind the art.”

Next year, Get Ya Color On will move to a new space housed by a local nonprofit. (She can’t share the details yet.) The new location will allow for on-site events. For now, she’s between studios — so she holds coloring sessions, creative workshops, and events on location.

Mason’s love for art and storytelling began in education and publishing. She worked in early childhood development with Child Start and authored several children’s books focused on affirmation, identity, and faith. When she couldn’t afford to hire an illustrator for one of her books, she taught herself how to draw by studying picture books, following online tutorials, and sketching daily. That decision planted the seed for Get Ya Color On.

“I didn’t have the money to pay someone, so I figured out how to do it myself,” Mason said. “I watched videos, practiced, and eventually found my style.”

In October 2019, she published her first coloring book, Doodled Expressions, and in 2022, she opened Wichita’s first mindful coloring studio at its original location on Wassall Street. That site saw steady foot traffic and confirmed the concept’s potential, but when the property was sold, she had to move on. Mason later shifted to a space at 1009 S. Broadway, which she eventually left due to visibility challenges.

At the Broadway location, she and artist Heather Byers rented and renovated separate parts of a building that also serves as the headquarters of the Neighboring Movement. While they didn’t formally partner, their shared presence sparked creative energy in the area.

“Heather painted the mural outside, and I painted the inside walls,” Mason said. “We both tried to bring warmth and color into a space that felt forgotten.”

Mason also worked with Karen Kasten from the Neighboring Movement and Patricia Houston from Greater Harvest Church to revitalize the Lincoln Park area through monthly community pop-ups during the summer.

“We gave out supplies, water bottles, art — whatever we could,” she said. “It brought the neighborhood to life.”

Family is a big part of Get Ya Color On. Mason’s husband, Tiano Mason, manages vendor events and logistics. heir daughter Zania, now almost nine, has grown up alongside the business and even helps with creative direction. In one full-circle moment, Mason read her book “You Have a Divine Purpose” at a Storytime Village event while Zania turned the pages beside her. It was the same book she read to Zania when her daughter was just three —a reminder of how deeply her personal story is tied to her work.

As a Black woman entrepreneur, Mason is aware of how representation shapes opportunity.

“Sometimes the name ‘Get Ya Color On’ opened doors faster than my name did,” she said. “But that just reminded me why it’s important to create spaces where people of color feel seen and celebrated.”

Looking ahead, GYCO has partnered with Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas City to provide art-education programming for children and families receiving treatment beginning January 2026. The initiative will extend Mason’s mindful-coloring approach into a clinical setting.

Through it all, her mission remains clear: use creativity to foster connection, healing, and rest.

“God is the Creator,” she said. “We’re made in His image. When we create, we heal. 

“That’s what Get Ya Color On is all about.”

The Details

Get Ya Color On
Learn more about Sontia Mason's coloring services and browse her coloring books and other projects on her website and Instagram page.

While between studios, Mason has an office at Regus at the Grand Hotel at Union Station, 801 E. Douglas Ave. She will announce her next studio location later this year.

WAM Nights: WAM’s 90th Birthday Party will take place from 6-8 p.m. Friday, September 26 at the Wichita Art Museum, 1400 Museum Blvd. In addition to coloring, DJ Carbon will spin records and dancers from Smack Dab Dance Lab will perform.

TyJuan “Ty” Davis is a published author, ghostwriter, and founder of Ty Davis Services, a writing firm that helps clients share their stories and preserve their legacies. In 2025, Ty received the Community Advocate Award from the Urban League of Kansas. He is the founder of Gap Bridgers 316, an initiative that brings resources and storytelling to underserved neighborhoods in Wichita.

Support Kansas arts writing

The SHOUT is a Wichita-based independent newsroom focused on artists living and working in Kansas. We're partly supported by the generosity of our readers, and every dollar we receive goes directly into the pocket of a contributing writer, editor, or photographer. Click here to support our work with a tax-deductible donation.