About The Come Back to Play Series

As adult responsibilities and routines take over, time for play is something many of us leave behind. Our goal is to experience play as children do: with curiosity, connection, freedom, surprise, and a sense of adventure. Play reduces stress, fuels creativity and problem-solving, strengthens social bonds, and promotes happiness. You are never too old to create opportunities to bring play back into your life.

Over the following five Wednesdays from 12:00–2:30 PM, each facilitator will guide you in experiencing play through their unique modality. We look forward to sharing the joy of becoming like little children as we Come Back to Play together.

These free events are offered through White Horse Community Hub. Registration is not required (except for 9/2 Painting Play- See event page for registration details). Doors open at 12pm for 1 hour of light refreshments and time for connection, and each workshop will begin at 1pm.

Schedule:

August 12 -- Introduction to Come Back To Play: A Weekly Series

August 19 -- Child’s Play with Janet Taylor

August 26 -- Improv Play with Mondy Carter

September 2 -- Pass The Painting with Alison Press

September 9 -- Piano and Drum Playshop with Daniel Barber

September 16 -- Play in Movement with Victor LaConti

See event pages for each date for more details.

About the Event:

Pass The Painting with Alison Press

Pass The Painting is a collaborative art activity. The goal is to add to the canvas creatively when it’s your turn, adapting to what the previous person painted. Each person starts with their own canvas, and the play coach will lead the start with gentle prompts. Once the initial art has begun each painting gets passed to the right and the painting continues. The activity is timed so intuition on what do next is part of the fun. Just pick a color, or many colors, draw a shape, line or anything your imagination brings forth . There will not be any time to get stuck! The passing and painting continues until each participant gets their original canvas back to be completed. Each painting will end up uniquely, and have community input into each masterpiece! Absolutely no art experience is needed, just a willingness to have fun, let go of expectations, and be surprised as you connect with the art and each other. All materials will be supplied and each person will leave with a completed painting. Smiles, laughs and childlike play is what this is all about!

Registration is required, as space is limited to 10 participants. Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pass-the-painting-with-alison-press-tickets-1994843946945

About the Facilitator:

Alison Press is a visual artist whose work captures the spirit of the Blue Ridge mountain region through bold abstraction and vibrant color. After painting for more than 20 years while working a corporate career, she retired in 2022 to pursue art full-time. Today, Alison is a painter, collagist, and printmaker creating and showing her original contemporary art from her studio at the Asheville Cotton Mill — a historic building in the River Arts District recently reopened after the flood damage of Hurricane Helene in 2024. 

Her original abstract artwork invites collectors to experience color and form in unexpected ways. Alison’s work has been described as vibrant, joyful, and alive — art that transforms both walls and moods.

Along with her working art studio and gallery space, Alison also participates in monthly curated exhibitions, with new shows opening each First Friday at Resurrection Studios Collective in downtown Asheville. Her work was recently selected and featured in the River Arts Resilience Project curated by ArtPlay in Asheville. Beyond exhibiting, Alison shares her love of art through teaching — leading workshops at both Resurrection Studios Collective, ArtPlay, and the Community Hub at White Horse Black Mountain.