In 2019, I decided—on a whim—that I was going to teach myself art. I had no idea what I was doing. But I did have a 10x20 room in my garage (technically, a barn that’s been standing since the American Revolution), a stubborn determination to make something, anything—and, thanks to COVID, a lot of time alone.

I was inspired by two things: The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Pinkwater, my favorite children’s book, and my friend Hilary Williams, an amazing artist who gave me the best gift: permission to create without worrying about whether it was “good.” So I did. And something unexpected happened—I found a flow, a connection, a way of making that felt like me. That room evolved into The Space Barn.

It’s weird. It glows. It’s not for everyone, and how could it be?

And somehow, this little personal story took on a life of its own. A talk I gave about it at a company festival turned into official corporate training: Find Your Splot: The Joy of Embracing the Stories that Made You. Over 1,200 associates and consultants have now heard it, and in the two years since, it’s only gotten bigger. Wild, right?

But if you really want to see The Space Barn, don’t ask me unless you mean it—I have way too many pictures, and I will show you all of them.