Vivacity and her sister, Intertwining Play, were built on the ghosts of two "blonde" paintings—a light hue that always reminded me of my beloved blonde cross-country skis. I had sat with those polite pieces for a long time until I spotted a patch of brown that looked exactly like a baby shoe. I couldn't unsee it. That was the moment I decided to obliterate days of work and start a "takeover."

What followed was a total release of color and a sense of whimsy I hadn't felt in a while. I started intertwining shapes and outlining little boxes of color, discovering a playful linework that I didn't even have a name for at the time. While those original blonde pieces are now buried, their history is what allowed this vibrant, joyful reset to happen. While the sister piece, Intertwining Play, found its home at the Naples National Art Fair, this "grown-up" version remains one of my favorite reminders of what happens when you allow the creative spirit to flow.