During my residency, I led a wide range of dance- and painting- based activities that invited children to explore creativity through movement and nature. We learned about biodiversity by building a community garden of watercolor plants and insects, played nature-themed improvisational dance games, and made art with pressed leaves and flowers. One of my favorite moments was creating a giant communal artwork by painting the bottoms of our shoes and dancing, skipping, and stomping across paper together.

Through these experiences, I hoped to help children connect with themselves and the natural world through intuitive movement and creation. The most rewarding part of the residency was the small, beautiful interactions with the brilliant children who fully leaned into the process. Their uninhibited joy was deeply moving and reminded me of the importance of play, lightness, and curiosity in both art and life.

Beyond the paintings they gifted me, I’ll carry with me the lessons they taught me about creative freedom. As someone who grew up visiting the Denver Children’s Museum, returning as an artist-in-residence felt like a beautifully full-circle moment.