It is a funny feeling when you first realize that everything you have worked for has come together right in front of you. One would describe it as similar to the popping of a champagne bottle. You are vaguely aware of what is going to happen, but you are still surprised when it does happen. In that moment, a million bubbles seem to come to life in the deepest part of your stomach and flood your thoughts. It is an overwhelming rush of emotions based on past experiences, present moments, and the making of memories. I don’t think I realized the strength of such emotions until Creative Corner Throughout our lives, my co-founder, Olivia, and I have both found solace and strength in art. While I didn’t begin as a talented artist, over time, through concentration and hard work, art has becomes my refuge. It has shaped the way I learn and the way I conduct myself in all aspects of my life.

Ultimately, art gave me confidence – something that I think is now one of my best qualities. I speak for both Olivia and myself when I say that art has shaped some of the best parts of ourselves. We wanted to provide a way for others to experience the same growth through art and, Creative Corner embodies everything that Olivia and I have learned. It is our way of drawing on our own experiences to foster the growth of others. Our mission is simple: To harness the potential of art and its ability to foster both mental and physical health. Throughout the last two years, we have created step-by-step lessons that introduce an artist and provide a simple but beautiful piece of art inspired by the artist. The goal of each lesson is to encourage individuality, pride in one’s hard work, and a method of stress release. We wanted to give the beauty and power of art to those who don’t have access to it in their daily life. So far, we have worked with two main organizations: a rehabilitation center for families that have fallen victim to domestic abuse and an organization that provides high functioning special needs children with the necessary skills for life. It has taken a certain level of work and dedication that I don’t The success and purpose of Creative Corner lies in the lessons that it has taught both us and our students.

At the start of our lessons at the rehabilitation center, we encountered three young girls that I will never forget. They were very shy and didn’t like to talk much. When we finally did start up a conversation, it was short and it wasn’t hard to tell that the girls seriously doubted their ability to do any of the projects. During only our second lesson, things changed. All three girls seemed very excited while painting a portrait of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers. At the end, the three girls ran up to us and practically begged us to take their picture. One of them said something I will hold in my heart forever, “I want to show the world what I can do, that this is mine and that I can do great things.” The Champagne bottle popped. It was that very moment that we realized the importance and the meaning of what we were doing. The young girl may have found pride in herself and her work, but we also felt that same pride in our work and the results. I will never forget that emotion, that feeling, and the memory it created. Not only did Creative Corner give us the ability to find our champagne moment, but exposed the necessity of what art gives us to cultivate a healthy, productive, and happy society.