How was your 2025 Art Break Day?

Lisa and Lauren have a conversation with 2025 Art Break Day hosts from all over the world about why they hosted Art Break Day this year, how it went and tips for anyone interested in hosting an Art Break Day in the future.

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Learn about each host on their websites here:

Tessa Hollingsworth with Moon Sluice Art

Krupa Jhaveri with Sankalpa: Art Journeys

Noelle Imparato with Painting for Life and Union Square Association

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Hey, this is Lisa and Lauren from Artist Movie. We’re so excited for this contest. We had hosts that hosted Artbreak Day, the 15th annual Artbreak Day. So if you guys could just go around and introduce yourself, where you’re from, and maybe what year it’s been for your artbreak day. So Noelle, if you want to go first, that’d be fantastic.

Okay, so this is uh me, Noelle Imperato. I am um basically from uh Baltimore, although as you can tell, I’m French, and uh even though I have been around here for for nearly 50 years or something, uh you know, my French accent has not left me, especially since I come back from uh months in uh France in August. I spent the whole month. So the artbreak day was actually relatively easy for me because I did it with the uh Union Square Association, which is our neighborhood association, and I live near uh the president. Actually, we share a wall, you know, our uh raw wall, raw house. And so he is so used to organize little events like this for the association. We have the right to use the park, which is right around the corner, and he also had uh two other types of uh neighborhood associations, one for music and other one for uh I’m not too sure. And so we gathered the people. I I didn’t have to do very much except uh talk to him before I went to France to let him know about it, and he was so excited right away, so that was quite uh uh beautiful thing to see, yeah. Love it, love it.

Krupa, you want to go ahead?

Sure. So my name is Krupa Javeri. I was born in the US in Colorado, but my parents are from North India. I’m based in South India, but happen to be in Nepal right now, where I hosted the last art break day for my 12th year as part of this movement.

Pasa.

Hi, yeah, this is my first year. Um I found you guys on Instagram actually. I’m in San Diego and I teach um an expressive arts program at the elementary schools here, and I teach therapeutic art here, and we have this really awesome uh plaza in Ocean Beach where I live, uh, where it’s called a free speech zone. So you can set up and do free events if you’d like. And so I hosted it there, and it was really awesome.

That’s awesome. Um for everyone, yeah, I’m Lauren, and right now I’m based in Corvallis, Oregon. And I think it was oof, I can’t remember how many years I’ve done it in Corvallis, but I Lisa and I started in the San Francisco Bay Area, and so it was my 15th year hosting uh in our breakday in various locations. Yes.

So I’m Lisa, and um Raymond’s coming in, I can’t, but uh he never fails not to show up. So I usually I’m in Santa Monica Bay, so I usually have it here, but um one of my nieces was getting married in Wisconsin. So I called up a friend who’s a musician and said, Hey, do you know anywhere where I can host an art breakday site? You know, just kind of networking. And she plays at a pub every month and said, This lady would love it. She’s an artist. And so I was at it, it was called the Sugar Maple, and it was this awesome like hipster pub. We were outside in a garden, it was a beautiful day. So I guess my thing is anywhere you’re at, you can just make it happen.

Yeah, yeah. I’d I’d love to dive into more of that, you know. If everyone could tell us how was your art break day, you know, how was it this year?

Anyway, so great. Yeah, it was amazing. So many people joined. You know, I had up a big sign that said, make art for free. And I had a friend join me, and we uh chalked on the sidewalk. So as people were passing, we had this big patch of grass. Um, it’s right by the beach, so it was beautiful. It was a beautiful day. Um, and so many people approached and were like, What is this about? And I was like, Yeah, you know, we had coloring sheets, we had um, as I said, I teach elementary art, so I was blessed with all these supplies I was able to give to people. So I had a little bit of everything, and it was amazing. I had about 10 or 15 people, um, I’d say that really came through and sat um and stayed for a couple hours, created great community conversations, made new friends, and it was great to see. Um said, Oh, you’re creating such a positive vibration here. I know it was such a cool experience.

So it was awesome. And and then what were they mostly adults or children, or who did you um magnetize?

Yeah, it was a little bit of everything. Um, there were some older adults that stopped by. Uh, it was, I would say, mostly mostly young adults, I would say, um, probably in their early 20s. Um, but there were also some older adults as well. So it was a little bit of everything. It was it was really awesome.

And I’m just I saw you on Instagram a lot. You were doing a lot of the reels. Do you think that created some kind of um energy towards that?

I do, uh yeah. I’m pretty involved in my community here. We’re really blessed to have a great um arts community in Ocean Beach, San Diego, where I live. Um so a lot of people are looking for things like that to do. A lot of people are into the arts and music. Um, so creating the reels was a way. I put up posters around town as well. Um, but I honestly don’t think many of the people came for that. I think it was mostly people passing by that came and saw the sign that kind of joined. So that turned out to be interesting and lots of new faces.

I love it. Yeah, my yeah, my favorite is the random passerby that doesn’t know what it is, and then uh sort of is brave enough to sit down and give it a try. Those are the people that generally surprise themselves with how long they stay at the table. And that’s always my absolute favorite. Like it always happens every single artbreak day. I mean, I can picture the people from this year that sat um and were there for over two hours just creating uh, you know, um piece after piece. And they they just kind of stumbled upon it. And um, I love that. That’s one of my favorite aspects of it.

That’s a one more question. Like, what is your favorite? Like, because I know I love what I love about artbreak days the conversations that you have with strangers. It’s just amazing how that opens up. Any like memory or conversation that you you were like, wow, this is so cool.

Yes. Um, I wrote this down actually. We had an awesome conversation at one point. Um, and also I want to highlight on uh what I’m sorry, what was your name again?

You’re Lisa Lauren.

Lauren, yes. Lauren, what you said about um people staying for hours. That was something I experienced as well. I set the time from noon to four, and um people wanted to stay forever, and I felt bad being like, you know, sorry, I have to like clean up these supplies now. I know we could all stay here forever. I could have stayed there forever. Um, so yeah, that was really cool to see people get so into it, get so into their art, and the conversations we were having were awesome too. Um, and yeah, one of the ones that um were shared was we were discussing uh how creating art is just one form of something we can do in our lives. Um, where I guess the conversation started where some people were like, uh, you know, I’m not very artistically inclined. I don’t know how to do anything. And it was like they were like, wow, I actually created something. You know, they picked up, I think I had a protractor there, and I was like, just start making circles, you know, fill them in with color, see how you feel, like see what happens. And um, they made this really cool piece, started drawing different figurines around the circles and in the circles, and shared it with everybody. And they were so proud of themselves. And we had this discussion about how creating art or the act of creating something, um, it’s not about you know being good at it or something like that. It’s just the act of it is such a great way to practice manifesting anything you’d want in your life, right? You know, you’re you’re practicing bringing something in your mind out into reality on a piece of paper. And maybe you’re not the best at it at first, but as you do it, you start to discover that you can create anything. And so even in practicing that, it applies to so many other areas of your life. And so everybody, we all kind of stopped and were like, whoa, like I never thought about art like that. And it was a really cool moment. So I love that.

It’s like a Zen moment or you know, art power, yay! Yeah, amazing.

Yeah, that sort of the power of the the process of the the actual experience of making the art makes me think of Krupa and that a lot of things that you have done um even this year and in years past. You want to dive into your art break day?

Sure. I think mine is worlds apart in a very different setting, but it’s maybe nice to have a really different example as well of how it can happen. And and I think it’s all about permission. I was thinking about that a lot this year, that most people are looking for the encouragement. They want to create, right? And they want that opportunity to sit down. So just kind of cultivating a space, giving permission, giving the materials and saying, yes, you’re allowed. And not only are you allowed, there’s no competition here, there’s no exam. Just sit down and create, you know, and feel free to do that. Like that already feels like such an important experience. And then however it happens can be yeah, affirming, exploring, can be opening up a whole new world for someone. So this year, I mean, I’ve been doing this now for quite a few years, and I think this year, you know, it was all about adaptability. So I’m in Nepal, I happen to land late, and then the next day I went to a small village, and the kids in a school there that I had planned to work with, they had a full day of exams. And so they were stressed, they were all coming out of the classroom, comparing, you know, did you get this question right? What was the answer? You know, there was a lot of high anxiety and stress. So immediately I felt like, okay, I understand the situation. What can I offer now, given all of this? And I decided not to bring art supplies. It was also tricky to be able to do that. So, again, all about adaptability. And I noticed that on the playground, like around the school, there was a lot of natural beauty. I mean, this was in a mountainous, you know, valley, it was just gorgeous backdrop and a small school. And so about 25 kids, we got together in the library and we created something. So I asked them to go outside and to pick up something from nature, but also something that’s man-made. Because I noticed there was a lot of like plastic pollution, and you know, I just felt like it’s such a shame that there’s this juxtaposition, and I just felt like it’s a great opportunity to remind them they’re taught in school not to throw the trash on the ground, but so many kids, and of course, you know, by habit, they’ll have a single-use like cracker or something, and they just throw the trash on the ground. So we created a mandala together with these items, and then I asked them, would they like to change what they’ve created? And they took the trash out, and they’re so bright, you know, immediately they were like, We understand, we know that it’s a beautiful place, and it’s just a habit. And I didn’t even have to say much, you know, and and it was testament to how the art reveals everything that we need to see. Um, and one thing I forgot to mention is that before we made this mandala together, um, we danced. So I had each of them go around a circle and just move their body, kind of introduce themselves through a bit of movement, and that felt really different and important this year. Again, given the situation, we all need to dance, but in particular, they had all this pent-up energy. So, you know, just being available for them, and there was so much joy, there was a bit of shyness, it was a bit awkward in moments, but it was really, really sweet and such a beautiful way to connect, also beyond really words, you know. Yeah, yeah.

Now, what what was the age of the kids?

So there was a range that they came from different classes, I would say from about like sixth grade all the way up to 10th. Yeah. Wow, wow. And then a nice chance for them to also mix together. So I guess I love that.

Were you gonna say something more?

Yeah, I was gonna ask um if anyone offered, you know, like uh a lot of times when someone sits down and and then and then they’re like, wow, I haven’t drawn since I was such and such age, or oh, I was feeling so stressed and now I’m not. Did you hear any of that come out of any of the students?

No, I I mean, so this what was different this year for me too is that I didn’t really bring art supply. So they didn’t sit down to draw. We just co-created something and then it kind of changed.

Yeah. Did they were they like um what kind of feedback did they do about doing something together after having done something like as stressful as an individual thing, like an exam?

What I sensed and what I gathered, what I heard was joy. Um, it is also this part of the world, you know, in most Asian cultures, it’s a very collectivist society. So there’s really already this culture of everybody coming together and doing everything together. Sometimes boundaries can be tricky, but in this situation, it happened so organically. So I felt like it did work because I was meeting them where they are. You know, they’re used to doing everything together. Um, I think that there was less pressure from what I’ve seen in the past, you know, when when a lot of kids, you know, they’ve had these traumatic experiences with their art teachers. Telling them that there’s a right or a wrong way to do something or that it’s not there, can be just a lot of stress went on. So it was, I think it was uh less stressful this way to kind of work together and do something that was impermanent as well, and just using the resources that were around instead of yeah, drawing something and keeping it and showing it. Yeah, yeah.

So I’m I’m picturing that you like you’re dancing, they introduced themselves, and then they went out and they played and they searched for their found object in nature and then trash. And did you see the energy shift from that also when they were out and about, you know, in the lands?

Yeah, I think there was a lot of surprise. I think also because it wasn’t the usual way of making art or having a class or doing anything in their school. So um there was play, there was a very playful attitude, which already, you know, was a big shift in energy from the exams and this kind of very serious studious way of being in the school environment. Um, and then we came back in and they each kind of placed things together, and then I think again, modeling that adaptability, like they have the permission to change what they’ve created, you know, to take agency, to take leadership roles. Um, and in a very short amount of time, you know, I saw like a whole microcosm, a whole world kind of created by them. Yeah.

Wow, that’s definitely lovely. That’s a huge uh that’s that’s cool. I love how Tessa’s um like art power, it’s like so cool how it it transforms. It you it’s kind of like an aspect of what art does, and then your what you what you shared or what you uh inspired with the kids is amazing.

Wow and it it sounds Noelle. Yours was also very tight-knit community-oriented because you said it was through um sort of your community, your neighborhood association. Is that right?

Yes, yeah, yeah. So we had mostly the kids uh who wanted to to paint because uh I had brought uh a big display of uh colors, you know, temporarak colors uh from uh ice cube trees. That’s what I usually do. So there is like you know 30 different colors, and all they have to do is just kind of like I tell them, you know, like a kid in a candy store, you know, just go with the one that attracts you right now. So if you are doing a sun and you like the blue color, then it’s going to be a blue sun, you know, it’s okay.

Yeah.

So we had um a lot of that, uh, mostly young kids, you know, about age uh I would say six, six years old or something like that, really cute little girls, and we have a lot of uh uh black people in the neighborhood, so we had a good mix of that. And we had a few teenager, I say probably around 20 kids were uh um we only had two hours, six to eight, because it’s a Friday and you know people are working. I I was trying to make them come earlier, but they said no, we can’t do that. But the the interesting thing also is that um they uh they had sharks, big, big fat sharks that uh kids could use, and so it was kind of a fun because there was one little boy, it wasn’t like maybe three-year-old, but he was kind of leading the gang. Yeah, he was like a tough little guy, and he was taking his big chalk, and he came from the guy who was sort of supervising them and drew a big line all the way to the fountain, and then after that, they all sort of tried to play around that line and dance and and jump and what have you. They they sort of uh invented their own game and very different age, like the little the three-year-old, but then most of the other kids were more like six, eight, nine, you know, and so they played together like this, just uh with a few lines and a chalk. That was kind of fun. And the other part was that uh we invited some musician, uh, one guy who is from the neighborhood, and also uh saying, you know, if you have any uh instrument, bring your instrument and you you are welcome to play. So they we ended up having uh four guys uh who had uh plugged instruments, you know. We have a little cazebo with uh with an electric plug so everybody could have um amplifier and everything, and they started jamming together. So and they did really good, some kind of jazzy tunes, and it was really nice. And then I heard after that that they said, Well, it’s the first time we jammed together, but uh it’s not going to be the last. Yeah, so that was uh that was quite lovely, and you know, the rest was a couple hours where we got a chance to talk with the neighbors. This is a great neighborhood because the association is very strong and the neighborhood is very tiny. You know, Baltimore is like uh zillions of tiny little neighborhoods, and so everybody kind of knows each other, and we do a lot of uh different events uh all along the years, and so this was just another one where we get to hang out. Yeah, that’s great.

What I love uh is Lauren always talks about she loves the what happens, it’s not the art created, but what almost like the art installation that happens through the interaction of you know what I mean? Like it’s a it’s a it’s a it’s a happening. It’d be the art is the the the space that we create, you know. And so was there um can you tell us about that? Like how did the space shift when I know that’s a beautiful you know um imagery when the kids drawing and then everybody’s dancing, and you know what, how did the space shift in your in the plaza that you were in?

Well, I don’t know if there was a big shift, you know. Uh it just kind of was what it was. Uh for me the the bigger shift was the music addition to the painting, and then I have uh I I have been doing you know these kind of uh painting workshops uh with kids uh of different ages, and well, most of it now is uh more like adults, but I have the I’ve worked with kids before. So they they were all very interested with the paint. Like we were offering them um crayons and crayolas and big fat felt paint, uh felt uh you know pens and uh different uh technique like this, which I thought, oh they probably will go for something that’s easy to use, you know. But no, all they want, all of them they wanted to to do the paint, you know, because maybe they are they don’t have that much opportunity to do the paint, I don’t know. But the the little kids is always impressive to see how concentrated they are. Yeah, and then I had like sometimes the father showing up and trying to tell the kid, you know, well, what is this, you know. So I had to tell them well, you don’t have to ask your kid what it is, maybe after it’s done, you know, but let them do because that’s what they know how to do, you know, yeah, better than we are, and let them really kind of uh I told them at first, you know, just don’t worry about what it’s going to look like, just work from the heart.

Yeah, I love that. Work from the heart, I love that. Yeah, I I would um love to know sort of uh why you guys decided to host um Art Break Day, either this year or 12 years ago, you know, and or why do you keep doing it, right? Why do you keep uh hosting because it’s a volunteer thing, right? Uh you guys completely volunteer uh for this movement, which we are forever grateful for because we know uh it makes such a positive impact in the world. But I I would love to know your why.

Well, if I just continue with uh this year, well, why? I is because I I know Lisa. I have uh known Lisa for uh because uh I did a retreat in Greece in 2018, I think, so seven years ago. So we’ve been uh in communication since then, and I just love uh the retreat in Greece, it was just fabulous, and I and I love the whole idea of uh what uh Lisa and then Lorraine together are doing the the podcast and the interviews and I even sent somebody to be interviewed with them and um I participated in the uh exhibit uh that uh Lisa organized in LA and I’ve spent 30 years in Los Angeles, so I love Los Angeles. That’s why I’m in uh the United States. Uh when I arrived in Los Angeles, I was actually on my way to to the to uh in search of the shamans of Peru. Oh wow, but then I got trapped in LA and then uh the kind of American dream just fell on my lap without even expecting it, so then I stayed and I love LA. Uh back in the 70s, you know, I was still the hippie kind of and I’m an ex-eppie, you know.

I love it.

I love it, yeah. And so uh to be able to, you know, support what you are doing in the first place, and then I can also see the benefit of uh art, and that’s why I I am interested in art, you know. In the first place, I wanted to do movies, but uh it’s the same kind of uh goal or the same horizon, you might say, you know, to wake up people. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wake up people so that they get the sense, especially in our culture, we need it so much more, even more, I think, than you know, in the Far East, because we are so stuck with this kind of scientist materialism, you know. So at least uh the the art community is a little um above that, but still there is uh plenty of people they never experience you know their higher self or their own divinity within. It’s kind of a taboo. Yeah, look like a nut if you mentioned that.

What I love is um you you’re you said you’re waking people up, and I think that’s a beautiful it that’s what art does. Um, and if you can, I mean that’s why art break day, if they can only do it for like five minutes, you know what I mean? They do touch that and then wake up for that moment in time and touch the nectar, the creative nectar of life.

Yeah, exactly. To give them a chance to have an experience where it’s not about rationality, you know, it’s not because you’ve done something so beautiful, but you did have that experience that feeds your heart. Yeah, I love that, yeah.

Yeah, wow, beautiful, beautiful. There’s gonna be a group of you’ve been with us for 12 years, and that’s just amazing. And you were in India, I think, for most of them, right? Auroraville, and then now you’re in Nepal. And I love that adaptability, art is adaptability.

Yeah, it’s hard to answer why, because there’s so many reasons why, you know. I think in the beginning it was a different why, maybe a bit of like trying to build community where I was and understand who is around me. And I’m trained as an expressive arts therapist, and so I do deeper sessions and work with people, but it was such a beautiful way in the beginning for me to just kind of assess and understand who is around me, who is willing to gather, how can they come together across all differences, different languages and backgrounds, and just seeing the beauty and the magic that can happen in those kinds of interactions. And then I think slowly it became a prompt for my own creativity, like how can I adapt and change as I go? And I think also in this part of the world, ritual is really important to us. And for me, it’s been such an anchor and a touchstone to see over the years, you know, like how I change, how the environment around me changes, what is possible wherever I go, what is important, and especially through COVID and after COVID, still finding ways, you know, to keep connecting and how much people are just looking for these opportunities, you know, it’s just constantly affirming that the world needs this, whether it’s small or big, um, whatever materials you use. I think for me, this year was really like I can see the extreme difference. In the beginning, you sent me these beautiful art supplies from the US, you know, and that lasted us for so long. And it was like this experience of abundance, you know, in and all these resources coming. And this year to just use what’s there on the land, like what’s right in front of me. So yeah, I think it’s just continued to reveal so much to me. And I’m sure there will be many reasons why to continue doing it. And I’m so grateful to both of you to have this kind of ritual and and prompt to keep also being creative and adapting myself.

Thank you. Thank you. Inspiring, Katha. This was your first year, right?

Yeah, this was my first year. Um, and I’m also grateful to both of you for creating um this awesome idea. Like I as soon as I saw it, like I said, I I think it came across my feed on Instagram because I I like like every art page or community page, and I was like, oh my gosh, that is so incredible. And I would love to be a part of that. I’m I’m always trying to bring more art into my community. Um, so thank you guys for creating this. Um, and it’s so cool to be able to connect with all of you guys um in different spaces throughout the world. Um, it feels really awesome to be a part of that. Crossing borders, um, I think that’s really making such a cool impact on so many people’s lives.

Um, I love it.

Yeah. So for me, I agree with Krupa, that’s a hard question to answer because there are so many reasons. Um I think if I’m thinking directly, you know, as you guys were speaking, I was thinking in my immediate community, um, I think somebody highlighted how things are seeming to be a little more difficult. The US than other places these days. And something I see in my immediate community is a lot of people struggling with mental health. And I think that art brings a lot of healing. It’s really capable of bringing a lot of healing with that. If you’ve had, you know, traumatic experiences. As I said, I’m I’m an expressive arts therapist as well. And if you’ve had any experiences like that, you know, art is something that can bring community. It can help awaken you, like Noelle said, and it can just bring you into a center. A lot of times we struggle with words to express ourselves or things that we’ve experienced or been through. And art is such a powerful way to just, you know, you don’t have to use words. If you’re feeling frustrated, you could just take a marker and scribble on the paper a bunch of people. And it’s such a way to express something that maybe you struggle to express. And I definitely got to experience some of that this art break day with some of the people that joined in my tent. It was really cool to see some people sit down and open up. And you know, if you come across a situation where you’re trying to create something and it’s not turning out the way you wanted it to, the fun thing about art, you know, I like to always tell my students, hey, it’s okay, there’s no mistakes in art. If you don’t, if it didn’t turn out the way you intended, you can always turn it into something else, you know, and that kind of translates into, as in life, you know, we think we make these mistakes, uh, but you can always transmute it into something else, and that’s the beauty of it. And I think if you empower, if you equipped people with the ability to create, you know, a lot of people think that they’re not creative, but everybody’s creative, everybody’s a creator. And if you give them a tool, whether it be something from nature or you know, a marker or something, it empowers them. You know, it’s empowering. And I think empowering people can only make the world a better place on all fronts.

So yeah, I think that’s probably a big one. I love that. I love that. So, Lauren, any any comments about your site or anything you want to share? I mean, we’ve been doing this for 15 years. It’s been definitely an evolution and a development.

Yeah. Yeah, 15 years. This is my 15th art break day. Um, and I mean, similar to Krupa, right? The first one, uh, there were uh a lot of phone calls and a lot of a lot of art supplies and a lot of coordination. And we really wanted it to be ginormous, and it was such a great first year. We did it in, you know, uh five different places across the Bay Area. And then we expanded um to the state of California, and we were like, all right, let’s open to other cities. And then the year after that, we went to other um states and international, you know, and um and it’s funny as the global reach has expanded. Lisa and I have talked about like uh like don’t get us wrong, the huge ones are are awesome and we love them and we support them. We have someone who’s been doing it in Florida for I don’t even remember how many years, and they have like, you know, uh 20 different stops that you can make in their neighborhood, and it’s beautiful, and that’s so great. But it’s also beautiful to gather 25 students and have them dance for a little bit, uh, or have a three-year-old draw a line and watch how the community interacts between that. Like it all matters, right? Um, and for my own personal uh art, that’s like my entire concept for my whole art is that everything matters and every person matters and everyone is an artist. And to so to see that on a global level um every year is just so um uh you know, Krupa used that it’s like this, it’s it’s like a reminder to me, um, you know, that it’s that it’s worth it, right? Because it’s a labor of love. Um, it’s not something that it’s easy to do, but it’s not easy to do, if that makes sense. Um, and so every time leading up to the event, I’m I’m tired and I’m I and I think I realize now it’s because I’m emotionally like so invested, right? And it’s not really physical, it’s a lot of it is emotional and mental. I’m putting my all, uh, my entire being into it. And then I get this reward by watching all these people. We actually have a large number number of unhoused people that um need some mental health um help in our in our downtown area. I was like 10% of my participants this year were were uh people in that sort of realm. Uh and they were sitting next to people that um were making art with them, and there was, you know, there was no judgment, there was just community. Uh, and so uh, you know, art is is that magical tool that you can you can truly cross boundaries that um otherwise would not be crossed, and and to to witness that, um, but it’s also as an individual standing there, it can be a little scary. I what I thought to myself this year is this is one of my hardest years, and it’s the most important year so far. Um, you know, but people need it more than ever, and I have to keep going, even though um I can tell that people are really, really struggling um on the on the streets right now. Um, so it was really interesting to to go through that. And I think that um I just think that it’s it’s it’s better with it, right? We’re better with it. And um, so we we gotta keep going with it. And it doesn’t, it’s no matter how you do it, even if you knock on your neighbor’s door and ask them if they want to come sit outside and draw with chalk for a while, um, it’s worth it, you know. Um, so yeah, I mean, that’s I guess a very long answer as to why do I keep doing it. Um, is because like every previous year sort of feeds me for the next year, you know, um, watching people come together over something that seems so simple, you know. We always laugh because people are always like, oh, are you gonna do this next week? And we we explain to them like, oh no, it’s an annual event. And some people understand why it’s an annual event because it it has a it’s almost like a psychologically a large a larger impact. But at the same time, I’m like, I wish I could do this um every every week for you. And if I if I could, I would because I know it would, it would help, you know. Um, so you know, maybe there’s a way to do that. But um yeah, I just think the as uh I’ve said before, it’s the it’s the randomness of it, that randomness of someone coming upon it and then um, you know, being like, I haven’t done this for so long, and then sitting there for two hours and then meeting a stranger and then like exchanging phone numbers and then going and telling me they’re gonna buy art supplies. You know, that that like ripple effect uh is is the why why I do it. How about you, Lisa?

I think it’s hard. It is like you all said, it’s a hard thing to say. But I I mean I truly believe in the power of art and I think it transcends all boundaries. But when I hear all of you, you know, it’s like Noelle, it’s like flow, go with the flow. And you always, you know what I mean? You just have to be guided. And then Koopa was about adaptability, and Tessa was about finding the deeper meaning in this existence of life through creativity. And Lauren, yours is about like just about like that random, beautiful connection of community that you can sit down with people and actually have a conversation. You know, I I mean, what I love about Artbreak Day, I love, I love that it’s in, I mean, Lauren knows I have big ideals and I would love it to be in every country in the world. And what would happen if everybody would set up an artbreak day table and what would just happen, you know what I mean? Because what I really love about Artbreak Day and what inspires me, my why, it’s like literally you sit down with people around a table and you just talk. I mean, you know, I can be shy sometimes, but I it’s like, I don’t know, when you’re creating, it’s just like you become friends. There’s like, it’s like all boundaries disappear. And so I just I think it’s you know, every year that we’ve done it for these 15 years, it’s always it’s about evolution, adaptability, flow, and things like that. But um I think it’s needed, number one, and it’s needed in more in the especially in the US, like extremely needed right now, but it’s also needed globally. Um, and I think it’s a way, yeah, it just every day. Oh, Raymond, what are you doing? Every day, um, every heartbreak day that I’ve done, it um it makes me believe in humanity. Like, um, you know, people are good. And once they create, they’re like, wow, people are deep, they’re meaningful, you know. They um yeah. So it it heartbreak days, my um gives me faith in humanity that when we create together, we can make the world a better place. Yeah. So quick, quick round table question. If you because you guys just met, do you have any questions for each other um as you shared your experiences?

Well, I would love um with Tessa, I was wondering maybe in the future we could do some kind of like cross-cultural collaboration. Yeah.

Yeah. I I was actually thinking to ask you, what is that? Nepal has been one of the places I’ve wanted to visit for so long. It’s been that on the top of my travel list. And I remember you mentioned uh they’re all so communal there already in their mentality. Uh, I would love to hear you like expound more on that. That sounds like such an awesome experience because I’ve found it made me think teaching in the US, the um programs that we do, you know, it is very we do individual work, but in my classes, I like to make everybody be more communal and share their art with each other and make them share the supplies in more ways. And it’s been interesting to watch them work together in more ways. What was that like working with kids who already have that mentality of community first versus like individuality?

I think just being in this part of the world has taught me so much, even though I was raised in the West. So, yeah, seeing that juxtaposition of like the individual ego and how you know we can really become ourselves, get to know ourselves in the West, and that’s really encouraged. And then here, sometimes you lose yourself because there’s so much community. Like, for example, right now I’m staying in a community and you know, all the houses are kind of facing each other, so everybody knows each other’s business, you know, it’s all very interconnected, meals are shared, everything is, you know, resources are shared. So uh everything overlaps and we work together, which it can be very beautiful. Of course, on the other side, there’s no privacy, boundaries can be different. So it’s uh it’s really fascinating to see these differences. And I think in both places we have a lot to learn from each other. So I found in that working together, it’s a strength, right? So with these kids, for example, being able to just very quickly and simply have them gather and do something together, I knew that that would work easily. It’s a natural part of life here. Whereas I think in the West, that would be a lot harder. You know, it would take time. You’d have to cultivate a space where everyone can trust each other to be able to do that. Um, and yeah, I mean, I think, yeah, I guess working with the strengths that are here, I suppose that’s what, yeah, it was easy in a way, you know, it felt natural.

Yeah, I mean go ahead. No, yeah. I was just gonna say if anyone has any uh last thoughts they want to share or tips uh with anyone who’s thinking about hosting an R break. I say just do it. Well, yeah, I say, you know, uh like give us a give us an send us an email if you’re if you need some help and what we’re that’s what we’re here for, you know. Yes, yes, yeah.

I love the idea of having it be somewhere all over the world. It would be awesome if somebody in every state, every country was doing it, and you know, there were a hundred people on this podcast.

The time differences might be hard, but we’ll make it work for sure.

I know, yeah. The time difference is a tough one. Yeah, that’s a tough one.

All right, Noelle, any final thoughts?

No, I was just kind of wondering if I knew anybody in France who uh could do that, but unfortunately, uh can’t think of anyone off uh the bat like this.

Um yeah, we’ve had it, we’ve had it in France before. That was maybe five or six years ago. Yeah, we we tend to you know ask people every year, we we reinvite them, but as all of you know, right, it’s it is it is a big commitment. And so um, but it is worth it. It is worth it.

It is worth it. So I’m gonna end and I just want to thank you all for your commitment to art, to creativity, to um to really like making trying to make this world a better place and empowering people just to make us you know a mark and see what happens.

So yeah, yeah, thank you so much.

Yeah, thank you. Thank you for inviting this was fun and thank you. It was uh honor to be uh invited to do this with all of you.

Yeah, thank you. Thank you.