Happy Again in Telluride: A Celebration of Color Self-Acceptance

Earlier this summer, I had the amazing privilege of presenting an art installation, Happy Again, at the Ah Haa School for the Arts HAHA Immersive Art Exhibition experience in Telluride, Colorado—a contemporary art event that thrives on accessibility, excitement, and community engagement. This show was more than an exhibition; it was a homecoming to my younger self and a declaration of joy, resilience, and love.

The Story Behind Happy Again

Each pom pom in the Happy Again installation represents a moment in my life when I felt the need to hide away my joy, my pain, or my differences.
Growing up, I was often described as a “good kid”—in front of adults I was quiet, obedient, and careful not to make waves. My little family was impoverished and constantly struggling for food and space. Despite this, I was a weird, talkative kid with an obsession with rainbows, and a deep love for the happy things I saw shimmering from the television. In school, I quickly learned to mask my differences and to show people only what they wanted to see. That instinct to blend in fed both imposter syndrome and the compulsion to please others.

Through design and art, I eventually discovered tools to build a space where I truly belonged and coudl embrace every part of myself. Happy Again is one of those spaces—a world of color, texture, and openness where memory becomes joy and individuality is not only safe but celebrated. By reclaiming those moments and placing them into this work, I sought to transform them into something lush, vibrant, and unapologetically beautiful.

The Experience of the Installation

Walking into the space, visitors were greeted by panels bursting with pink, coral, yellow, aqua, and lavender. Some pom poms were lovingly handmade, others carefully selected from retailers, but each one was applied by hand—glued onto surfaces that were thrifted or even salvaged from dumpsters.

The diversity of textures and colors created a dynamic landscape of softness, warmth, and wonder. The panels invited touch, encouraging visitors to feel the surfaces and interact with the art. In doing so, they became part of the installation—sharing in the tranquility and happiness that the space was meant to evoke.

Ah Haa: A Community of Joy

Exhibiting as part of Ah Haa’s annual HAHA event made this experience even more meaningful. And they’ve been doing this for four years! Ah Haa is dedicated to creating immersive art experiences that engage the community and expand the boundaries of possibility. They support artists with logistical resources and offer a wealth of creative freedom, helping artists like myself to dream big and deliver work that is deeply personal - even when its completely new for us! At the Ah Haa school, these works aren’t only for display, but for dialogue—sparking connections with local and visiting audiences alike.

Reflections from Telluride

A tiny town with a big name and a really specific vibe. I cannot believe it’s a real place. I spent hours just walking around and exploring both the natural beauty and the history of the place between installation periods, and I was not disappointed in the least. It’s a weird little town, and it definitely challenges what you might consider your norms - shopping, eating, breathing, - all is done a little differently there, in a charming (and sometimes cost prohibitive manner!) But frankly, Telluride itself offered the perfect setting: a place of natural beauty, creative energy, and community spirit. To share Happy Again there was to offer a piece of my own history while inviting others to reflect on theirs. I left the teeny town with gratitude—not only for the chance to show my work but for the affirmation that art has the power to transform wounds into beauty, memory into healing, and difference into celebration.

Happy Again is for my younger self, and for anyone who has ever felt the need to hide their joy. It’s an invitation to step into color, to embrace softness, and to remember: happiness, in all its forms, deserves to be seen.

Check out the other artists here! https://ahhaa.org/ah-haa-haha/haha-artists-2025/