Sometimes the most important lesson in art is listening to the canvas. Painting over mistakes can be the key to discovering what it truly wants to become.

At this year’s Village Arts Festival, my painting Stacked Serenity took an unexpected tumble when a gust of wind knocked over a display wall, tearing two gashes in the canvas. What followed was a careful repair process, a lesson in patience, and a reminder that art, like artists, can be resilient and evolve after a setback.

Quirky museums remind me inspiration is everywhere — even in the smallest, most unexpected places.

Valerie was all in, hunting down the perfect mosaic design for her frame. Meanwhile, I decided that instead of working on my pad plant frame, I would swap out the window in my half-bath with a sea-themed mosaic instead. Matt’s only rule: “No flamingos, for heaven’s sake!” So naturally, I went underwater—sea turtles, fish, seaweed, and none of those pink feathered party crashers.