Create Amongst the Work of Julian McNally

Permission To Play is opening its doors to families for two free days of creating — and the inspiration is Julian McNally's collection Alchemy Into the Gold. This weekend Saturday and Sunday 5/30 and 5/31 from 11 AM - 4PM.

Julian McNally is a local artist and his collection is on the walls of Permission to Play. His work is a true delight. His collection takes you to a more creative place with in. His work inspires with color, playful choices in movement and a curiosity expressed through art. Come find your creative spark amongst his collection and see what you make.

Walk In and Create

In our first room we have the majority of the collection. You can play with oil pastels, chalk pastels, watercolor, and markers. Make flowers, birds, something abstract — make what you want. There is no wrong way to create.

Add The Details

Bring what you made into the next space — surrounded by more of Julian's work, including Spirit. Use paint pens to add detail and depth. Find what you see and bring it out. Then make a keychain with pom-poms and beads in the colors you love.

Gelli Printing and the Tree of Life

Julian used Gelli plate prints to build the leaves in his painting Tree of Life. We get to play with Gelli plates too. A fun way to make prints.

We are adding to our own tree of life in the studio with layers of leaves draw, cut and added to by you and your family. Your leaves stay here and grow with us. You take home your favorite prints.

The Messy Paint Room

Let go completely. Tempera paint and all kinds of tools. No rules. No agenda. Just color, texture, and play.

Vote for Julian

Julian has advanced to the Top 10 of The People's Artist — a national competition. He is currently in 4th place and voting ends June 4th. Votes support The Art of Elysium — a nonprofit that brings volunteer artists into hospitals, shelters, schools, and senior care facilities using art as a catalyst for social change. peoplesartist.org/2026/julian-mcnally.

VOTE

Family Art Day is Free

Made possible by Permission To Play, Julian McNally , and the generous donations of Marigold Estates — a local estate company that sends unsold art supplies back into the community. Because of their generosity this event is completely free.

Thank you to Julian McNally for sharing your work. And thank you to Marigold Estates for making free art possible.

Family Days are coming back July 4th and 5th. More details soon.