The WKNDRS

For our last gathering of the year we are excited to welcome the incomparable creative duo, The WKNDRS who will share their extraordinary story through the lens of the global theme 'innovation'.

WKNDRS is the creative partnership of artists Rachel Rivera and Claire Ouchi — two friends who met in art school at AUArts in Calgary and have spent nearly two decades creating together. Based between Vancouver and the Rockies, they blur the lines between art, design, and public space — transforming walls, environments, and experiences into moments of joy and connection. Their work combines bold color, natural forms, and human warmth — always guided by curiosity, collaboration, and play.

Each month we ask our presenters some probing questions to give us a deeper glimpse into their life and relationship with creativity:

How do you define creativity and apply it in your life and career?
Creativity, for us, is curiosity in motion—it’s paying attention, making meaning, and turning imagination into something you can touch, feel, or share. It’s not a job title, it’s a way of moving through the world. We apply it everywhere—in how we paint, design, collaborate, and even how we handle challenges or reinvent what’s next.

Where do you find your best creative inspiration or energy?
We find it in movement—traveling, exploring new cities, painting outside, or seeing color in unexpected places. It also comes from each other—our conversations, our differences, and the trust we’ve built over years of working side by side. Nature and community both fuel us—the wild and the human.

What’s one piece of creative advice or a tip you wish you’d known as a young person?
You don’t have to have it all figured out—just start. The path reveals itself as you walk it. And sometimes, the “wrong turns” are the most interesting parts of the map.

Who (living or dead) would you most enjoy hearing speak at CreativeMornings?
David Hockney—his lifelong love of color, technology, and reinvention feels endlessly inspiring. We’d love to hear his perspective on joy, seeing, and staying curious.

What did you learn from your most memorable creative failure?
That failure is usually feedback in disguise. Every project that didn’t go as planned taught us how to communicate better, manage expectations, and trust our instincts. The work is never wasted—it always finds its way into something else later.

What practices, rituals, or habits contribute to your creative work?
Morning caffeine and movement. Long drives with good music. Saying yes to small experiments. Taking time to step away from screens and reconnect with the real world—the light, the people, the mess.

Where is your favourite place to escape?
For Rachel, it’s the ocean—anywhere near open water, nature and vast skies. For Claire, it’s the city—wandering through galleries, walking aimlessly, and soaking in the rhythm of urban life. Between the two, we’ve found the perfect balance of flow and structure.

What myths about creativity would you like to set straight?
That creativity only belongs to artists. Everyone has it—it’s a human trait, not a professional skill. The myth of the “tortured genius” also needs to go; creativity thrives in joy, community, and rest just as much as in struggle.

What has been one of your biggest Aha! moments in life?
Realizing that we could build our own lane—that we didn’t have to wait for permission, funding, or validation to create. Once we started trusting our vision and showing up consistently, the work and opportunities followed naturally.