OCTOBER 2026 – The Art of Play

The Art of Play: Giving Ourselves Grace Through Creativity

I’m delighted to be part of the Vermont Crafts Council’s 2026 Fundraising Prize Drawing! As an artist and the Council’s vice chair, supporting Vermont’s creative community is something I care deeply about. The Council works to connect people with artists, celebrate handmade work, and help Vermont’s arts community thrive. I’m proud to contribute a painting to this year’s drawing alongside 19 other talented Vermont artists and makers. I hope you’ll join me in supporting this important work. You might even take home a beautiful piece of Vermont art!

The Art of Play

As children, we naturally approached creativity with curiosity, joy, and a sense of freedom. We made things without worrying whether they were good enough, whether someone would like them, or whether we were doing them the right way.

Doesn’t that sound fabulous?

Somewhere along the way, many of us lose that freedom. We become afraid of making mistakes. We compare our work to others. We worry about the outcome before we’ve even begun.

One of the biggest lessons I try to share with my students is to let go of perfectionism. Perfectionism has a way of stifling creativity. It’s hard to enjoy the process when you’re worried about making a mistake.

But mistakes are a natural and valuable part of creating. Most of us remember watching Bob Ross on television and hearing about his “happy little accidents.” What if we approached our own creative lives with that same spirit? What if an unexpected mark or a color that didn’t turn out quite right was simply an invitation to try something new?

Creating without fear of judgment takes practice. So does giving ourselves permission to experiment, to be beginners, and to make something just because it brings us joy.

In my art classes, I encourage curiosity, experimentation, and positive self-talk. We play with acrylic paints, palette knives, brushes, stencils, and all sorts of tools to create abstract paintings. Often, we begin without knowing what the finished piece will look like. That’s part of the fun!

When there’s no predetermined outcome, we can focus on the experience instead of trying to get everything right. We discover new colors, unexpected textures, and possibilities we might never have found if we’d stuck to a plan.

And something wonderful happens when we give ourselves that freedom. We begin to trust ourselves a little more. We become more willing to take risks, both in our art and in our everyday lives.

If we all practiced giving ourselves grace, what a world we would live in!

I believe creativity belongs to everyone, not just professional artists. You don’t need years of training, expensive supplies, or a perfectly organized studio. You can begin with a few colors, a piece of paper, and a willingness to see what happens.

This is one of the things I love about Vermont’s arts community. Across our state, artists and makers are sharing their skills, experimenting with materials, building businesses, and creating things that bring beauty and meaning into our lives. When we support artists, we help make room for more of that creativity to flourish.

That’s why the Vermont Crafts Council’s mission is so dear to my heart.

Support Vermont’s Creative Community

The Vermont Crafts Council’s 2026 Fundraising Prize Drawing offers a wonderful way to support the artists and makers who make our state such a creative place. Twenty works of art are featured in the drawing, including my painting “Evenings Edge”.

There are just 100 tickets available at $100 each, and every ticket supports the Council while offering a chance to win one of the featured works. You can also make a donation of any amount if purchasing a ticket isn’t right for you.

Visit the 2026 Fundraising Prize Drawing page to see the artwork and learn more.

Thank you for supporting Vermont artists and the handmade arts that make our state special.

And wherever your creative journey takes you, remember to give yourself grace, stay curious, and keep playing.