Craftivate

11/02/2023

Since 2017, 172 Center St. has been Craftivate’s home 🏡. Today I handed over the 172 keys to a new business 💗 and closed this storefront chapter of Craftivate. It has been bittersweet. Clearing out the studio brought up memories of art created, friendships formed, and community built in that very space. There were laughter and tears, slime and wine, art exhibitions, birthdays celebrated, showers of love and affection, quiet days and days so busy I’d accumulate 10,000 steps in that small studio space alone. From the art classes and parties to the camps and fundraisers, 172 will forever hold a special place in my heart. I have met amazing people along the way and been blessed with the support of family, friends and even kind strangers who happened to find their way through my door. The many opportunities the studio has afforded me have been life-changing and I am so grateful! It is my core belief that everyone is creative and people should be given the opportunity to tap into that creativity. Teaching people to find joy in the act of creating has given me a great sense of fulfillment and purpose. I love teaching and sharing what I know about art, crafts and creativity. Watching people step out of their comfort zone to try something creative has been one of the greatest joys of the past eight years (Est. 2015). It has been my honor to teach and hold space for all ages to express inner truth through artistic means. The studio is also the place where I watched my first two children grow up. The closing of the studio is also the closing of this chapter of their lives. They spent countless hours digging into every drawer and box in the place to make wild creations over the years. They went from being kids under five to big kids who became my greatest helpers. They profoundly miss 172 already and I will miss watching them light up every time they came into the space. So it is with immense gratitude and a bit of sadness that I thank you for your part in helping the Craftivate studio survive for as long as it did. This is not the end for Craftivate, just a new beginning with unfathomable opportunities just around the corner.

09/15/2023

The closing flash sales have begun!
Flash Sale until 5:00 today 9/15 at the studio.
Everything must go in the next few weeks including some of the furniture.
I will post photos of many of the items in the comments here throughout the day. But there’s much more at the studio!
Message me with pricing questions.
Cash only
First come first serve
172 Center Street, Wallingford, CT

07/05/2023

I painted this bright and colorful mural in the lobby of Rock Hill Elementary School at the end of the school year. It brought me so much joy painting it along with Alyssa from Catalyst Art Studio. The children encouraging us and getting excited about the progress was the best part. More murals to come next year! My kids striking a pose at the end.

05/28/2023

These are my babies. When I started Craftivate my daughter had just turned 1 and my son was 3. How time flies and families grow! Now with the pandemic behind us, 2 big kids, one toddler and all of life’s many blessings, I’ve been reassessing everything. Responsibilities change, tasks multiply and the world moves forward. As an artist, teacher & mother, it is now very clear to me that it is time for a new era in my Craftivate journey.

Thank you for supporting Craftivate for 8 fabulous years. The experience has been full and the memories lasting. It has meant everything to me to be able to share my creative vision with you through art experiences, craft instruction, workshops, camps, classes, special events, social media and so much more. I never could have imagined the loyalty, patronage, and support for the studio that has been so generously given throughout the years. Thank you for being a part of my dream come true and giving me the opportunity to share my passion for creativity with you. Thank you for sharing your time and hearts with me.

As much as I love the studio, right now I need to be with my family of 5 before the years flash before my eyes. I will be closing the studio to the public while I focus on taking care of myself and my loved ones as well as some select projects.

Of course I still love teaching and creating. So reach out if you need any help in those areas as I will privately be taking on discretionary work. Please continue to follow here! I’ll be posting updates on projects, the future of Craftivate, my artistic journey, creative ideas for parents, and anything I think you all would enjoy!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. This isn’t the end, but the possibilities are endless!

Please reach out to me anytime at [email protected]

05/10/2023

Summer Arts & Craft Camp: Around the World Cultural Art is open for registration! So is our Mommy & Me Toddler Art Series! Learn more through the link in our bio and sign up!

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05/07/2023

Summer Arts & Crafts Camp is open for registration! We will focus on art from around the world by creating culturally inspired artwork. Campers will learn about famous artists from around the globe and the cultural heritage that inspired their artwork. Projects will include painting, drawing, sculpting, printmaking and more. Learn more and sign up through the link in our bio.
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05/05/2023

Apt advice from my my favorite author. 💗

In 2006 a high school English teacher asked students to write a famous author and ask for advice. Kurt Vonnegut was the only one to respond - and his response is magnificent:
“Dear Xavier High School, and Ms. Lockwood, and Messrs Perin, McFeely, Batten, Maurer and Congiusta:
I thank you for your friendly letters. You sure know how to cheer up a really old geezer (84) in his sunset years. I don’t make public appearances any more because I now resemble nothing so much as an iguana.
What I had to say to you, moreover, would not take long, to wit: Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow.
Seriously! I mean starting right now, do art and do it for the rest of your lives. Draw a funny or nice picture of Ms. Lockwood, and give it to her. Dance home after school, and sing in the shower and on and on. Make a face in your mashed potatoes. Pretend you’re Count Dracula.
Here’s an assignment for tonight, and I hope Ms. Lockwood will flunk you if you don’t do it: Write a six line poem, about anything, but rhymed. No fair tennis without a net. Make it as good as you possibly can. But don’t tell anybody what you’re doing. Don’t show it or recite it to anybody, not even your girlfriend or parents or whatever, or Ms. Lockwood. OK?
Tear it up into teeny-weeny pieces, and discard them into widely separated trash receptacals. You will find that you have already been gloriously rewarded for your poem. You have experienced becoming, learned a lot more about what’s inside you, and you have made your soul grow.
God bless you all!"
Kurt Vonnegut

05/05/2023

Give your toddler a chance to create and get messy at Craftivate’s Toddler Art Series during the first week of June. You and your toddler will experience opportunities to use foundational art materials, such as paint, crayons, markers, clay, and more! Toddlers will learn through the process of experimenting with these materials. With you there to encourage them the experience will be even richer. Sign up today to reserve your spot using the link in our bio.

05/04/2023

Attention moms of little ones! The Mommy & Me Toddler Art Series will be held June 12th - 16th. For kids ages 1-4. This series of classes will offer kids a chance to experiment with materials and learn new art skills along side mom, grandma, or whomever their special adult is. Sign up now and get ready to make beautiful art and memories!

Join your toddler in creating art this summer! Play with paint, clay and mixed media for an unforgettable creative experience! Spending this special time with your child will build valuable bonds, provide an opportunity to explore materials, improve fine motor skills and build social skills. You wil...

04/26/2023

Paint Lab is this Sunday, April 30th! This is a beginners workshop on painting. So come as you are and wherever you are at with painting. Adults and children can both learn something and practice their skills.

Join us for an all-ages Crafty Mornings: Paint Lab on April 30th to learn the basics of color theory, layering, blending, and experimenting with non-traditional painting tools. You will use your new-found skills to paint on paper, canvas and wood objects of your choice.  Click on the link in the bio to sign up today.
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