Sprinkling the World with Blank Canvases

I have always been fascinated by the creative spark that has driven humans to innovate for the last 60,000 years. I deeply believe that if access to tools and spaces that inspire creative execution were ubiquitous, more of the world would be empowered to further social progress, and solutions to our greatest challenges would move forward like wildfire.

Since I was a young girl, I’ve noticed that when I’ve felt a streak of creative confidence, it has trickled into every other area of my life. However, over time, it’s become increasingly clear that the simple act of tangible creation (i.e. painting, doing crafts, making anything) is not available to everyone.. far from it. Creative exploration should not be a luxury, and I deeply believe that working to provide access to tools for creativity, and sharing the results, will lead to a more compassionate and just world.

Over the last 6 years, I have placed hundreds of blank canvases with accompanying art supplies in underserved communities around the world. I usually leave them there between 24-48 hours, and always return to find an exquisite, cohesive painting (done by many participants!) that always tells a story. The results always truly blow me away. I am in awe of what humans can spontaneously come together to create. It is human nature to create and to spark joy in oneself and one's community.

Over the years, the project that I came to call “Paint the World” has gathered an immense amount of momentum, and has taken on a life of its own. As it has scaled, the process of bringing a canvas, an easel, and all the accompanying supplies to a community has become cumbersome. To solve this, and enable the project to reach more communities around the world, I have created a collaborative canvas kit, wherein the frame is laser-cut, and the canvas sheets can be constantly replaced.

This project inspires me more than anything. Seeing a collaborative canvas come to life, and igniting others to drive positive change brings me to life. People in all corners of the world have the ability to craft innovative solutions to their own challenges, but often don’t have the tools necessary. Delivering the tools to scale and amplify systems change and impact brings me purpose. It is always worth it. I have been placing blank canvases in communities for over 6 years, securing paints, brushes, and palettes to the canvases... and always, without fail, 24-48 hours later, I return to find a masterpiece, an unintentional collaboration between ~60-100 people. It is so incredible and exhilarating to see; it’s a project with such a simple yet impactful core activity.

Many people who contribute to the once-blank canvases have never before touched a paintbrush, and the act of doing so lends them a sense of creative confidence that trickles throughout other areas of their life. I see this process not as an arts project, but rather an experiment in collective creativity.

Why not support a tool that directly enables underserved communities to increase their creative capacity, on a monthly basis? A platform that is dedicated to making blank canvas set-ups available and accessible to all: A membership to painting the world. Every month, contributors work together to sponsor and secure a blank canvas (with attached art supplies) in an underserved community. The blank canvases would appear in public places, hospitals, schools, prisons, etc. Upon completion (when there is no more blank space left on the canvas), an image of the collaborative painting is sent to Jungian Analysts and community advisors to unpack its meaning and accurately understand the true needs of the community that came together to create the painting.

Could you image having a part in moving a community forward in such an alternatively authentic and simple way? With a subscription to Paint the World, we create the opportunity to take the tangible steps in prioritizing intrinsic creativity, the tangible steps needed towards truly moving the needle forward, and changing the world.