the creative Collective
by mary telfer fine art
Find your people. Feed your creativity.
You love making art. You're in good company.
The Creative Collective is an online community where people who love making art come together to explore new ideas, talk about art, and create alongside one another.
With live monthly gatherings, creative challenges, and plenty of opportunities to connect, you'll find fresh inspiration and people who share your enthusiasm for art.
Make art a bigger part of your life.
There's something about spending time with other artists that makes your creative life more interesting. New ideas, unexpected conversations, different perspectives—and sometimes a ton of laughing.
The Creative Collective gives you a place to explore all of that, whether you're making art every day or just getting back to it.
Join us for lively monthly gatherings, creative challenges, and time set aside to make art alongside others.
Join risk-free — cancel anytime.
Here’s what you get as a member…
Weekly Art Challenges
Get a fresh creative invitation every week. Some are playful, some encourage deeper exploration, and all leave room for your own interpretation.
Plus, explore our library of 130+ creative challenges whenever you're looking for a new idea.
Private Online Community
Our members-only space is a place to share your artwork, exchange ideas, ask questions, and connect with people who share your enthusiasm for art.
Monthly Art Conversations & Gatherings
Join us online on the first Thursday of each month for conversations about art, artists, and creative life. Sometimes we explore a particular artist or idea; sometimes the conversation takes us somewhere unexpected.
Can't attend live? Recordings are available in our members' library.
NEW IN JANUARY: Monthly Open Studio
An additional live hour each month to make art alongside other members. Bring whatever you're working on, settle in, and enjoy having creative company. No specific project or preparation required.
The Creative Collective expands in January 2027, when membership increases to $15/month for new members. Join by December 31 and your $9 monthly rate stays the same for as long as you remain a member.
There's more to making art than making art.
Sometimes it's discovering an artist you've never heard of. Sometimes it's a conversation that sends your thinking in an entirely new direction. Sometimes it's laughing with people who understand why you own 47 different hues of blue.
At The Creative Collective, there's room for curiosity, experimentation, conversation, and making art on your own terms.
Know this all
too well?
You can happily spend an hour talking about art with someone who shares your enthusiasm.
You're curious about new ideas, different approaches, and what other artists are making.
You'd love more opportunities to make art and experiment without worrying about getting everything right.
You wish you had more people in your life who understand why making art matters to you.
Lorraine E.
Mary's challenges are not only clear and inspiring, but a healing journey of self-discovery. The live Zoom sessions are so relaxing and supportive I am comfortable sharing even when I am not feeling great about my work.
Mary and the other artists are kind and give constructive ideas to follow through, encouraging me to continue and complete the artwork.
Melissa P.
I love that Mary fosters such a supportive and positive environment... everyone in this group feels that.
We can create something that has value to us and to others. Mary fosters a fabulous environment... that's key!
Jim c.
Creator Mary Telfer is an artist, yes, but so much more… Mary cares!
In The Creative Collective, she focuses on our personal growth in whatever medium we’re using. She encourages us to experiment, be vulnerable, open up our expectations, and challenge ourselves.
Mary is one of the most positive people I know—an absolute delight to be around.
Imagine a space where creativity is contagious.
Want in?
$9
Join for $9/month through December 31, 2026.
Membership increases to $15/month for new members in January. Join now and keep your $9 rate for as long as your membership remains active.
$9
What's inside the membership?
Creative Challenges & Inspiration — Explore 130+ creative challenges, with fresh invitations to experiment, try new approaches, and make art your own way.
Monthly Art Conversations & Open Studio — Join our live monthly discussions about art, artists, and creative life. Starting Jan. 2027, enjoy an additional monthly Open Studio hour to work on your own art alongside other members. Recordings of our conversations are available if you can't attend live.
Private Creative Community — Share your work, exchange ideas, and connect with other artists through our members-only website and Facebook group.
Special Surprises — Occasional bonus events, demonstrations, and other extras, just because!
Founder
Mary Telfer, MFA
Hi, I'm Mary! I'm a professional artist, educator, and founder of The Creative Collective.
My artwork has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions throughout the Midwest, New England. and the West Coast of the U.S. I earned my MFA in Visual Arts from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and I've spent more than 20 years teaching and mentoring adult artists. I also maintain my own studio practice.
About 20 years ago, I started a small group of artists who met regularly in my studio. We talked about art, exchanged ideas, occasionally collaborated, drank coffee, and laughed a TON. Those gatherings were some of the best times of my artistic life. We didn't all make the same kind of art, and we certainly didn't all have the same ambitions. But we had art in common, and that was enough.
That's the spirit behind The Creative Collective. I wanted to create a place where people who love making art could come together, explore ideas, learn from one another, and enjoy conversations that don't always have to lead to a finished piece of art.
You don't need a degree, a gallery exhibition, or even the confidence to call yourself an artist. If you love making things and want it to be a bigger part of your life, I'd love to have you join us.
Inspiration. Experimentation. Connection.
Find your people.
Make room for more art in your life.
Join The Creative Collective for just $9/month through December 31, 2026, and keep that rate for as long as your membership remains active.
New members joining in January will pay $15/month. Cancel anytime.