Creating Community Through Art: Wendy Lattof’s Journey of Connection and Impact

Creativity Connects with Mikki L. Wilson is a Creative Collective podcast that goes beyond the brand and into the authentic journeys of women entrepreneurs who are members of the Creative Collective. Each episode, host Mikki Wilson sits down with a woman business owner from the Creative Collective community to explore her unique path, what drives her, and where she’s headed next. This series illuminates the moments, motivations, and messy middles that shape women’s experiences as creators and business leaders in the creative economy. This podcast series is supported by Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry.

When we think about creative community building, we often imagine structured programs or formal initiatives. But sometimes the most powerful connections happen when we simply create space for people to disconnect from digital noise and reconnect with their hands, their hearts, and each other. This week’s conversation with Wendy Lattof of Create & Escape Creative Studios reveals how one family’s desire for connection evolved into a thriving community hub that’s redefining what accessibility and impact look like in downtown Peabody.

From Family Nights to Community Movement

Wendy’s journey into creative community building began not with a business plan, but with family. As someone who grew up in a large, creative family where her mother painted watercolors and crafting was a way to connect, Wendy understood the power of making things together. “When you’re part of a big family, there’s like an element of craziness of connecting,” she shares, describing how nights out creating became precious moments of connection, especially for family members juggling single parenthood and busy schedules.

This foundation of family values directly shaped how Wendy and her sister approached building Create & Escape. What started as a mobile venture to save money for a family vacation to Punta Cana transformed into something much larger. “We practice and practice and practice. And then we rolled it out and we had a blast,” Wendy recalls. Within six months, they knew they needed a permanent space, and with support from a Lease It Local grant, they opened their Main Street location eight years ago.

Redefining Success Through Satisfaction

What sets Create & Escape apart in the landscape of creative community building isn’t just the workshops or the welcoming atmosphere—it’s their radical approach to satisfaction. “We are the only maker space that have a hundred percent satisfaction guarantee that if you don’t like what you make, you can come back and make it for free,” Wendy explains. This policy embodies a deeper philosophy: what would you create if you knew you couldn’t fail?

This approach transforms the typical workshop experience. Instead of leaving feeling like the evening was “a waste” after paying for a sitter and hearing complaints about being away, participants leave fulfilled. The space becomes more than a studio; it becomes a sanctuary where caregivers recharge, where those supporting family members through illness find respite, and where veterans connect through monthly virtual events.

Making Art Accessible to All

Perhaps the most profound aspect of Wendy’s creative community-building work happens through the Create and Escape Art Foundation. Born from pandemic concerns about families who couldn’t afford art supplies, the foundation ensures that creativity isn’t a luxury reserved for those who can pay. “You have a choice between like food or buying an art kit. So what about those kids that don’t have the art kit?” Wendy asks.

The foundation’s approach is thoughtfully designed to preserve dignity while providing access. When they provide free classes through the school system, counselors select recipients based on need, but children receive them as awards for positive behavior or helping others. “The kids don’t see it as a handout. They know they were awarded something,” Wendy emphasizes. This model ensures that art becomes a celebration, not charity.

With 15% of fundraising events supporting local causes, Create & Escape follows the model of community businesses like Treadwells, whose owner, Tom Gould, inspired Wendy with his consistent community support. “I want to be the Treadwells of crafts,” she declared when meeting with city officials, and eight years later, that vision has become reality.

The Power of Intergenerational Connection

One of the most beautiful aspects of creative community building at Create & Escape is how it brings together people across generations. Wendy describes participants over 100 years old approaching projects “more fearless than anyone else,” simply determined to have fun. This intergenerational mixing creates unexpected moments of encouragement, where youth inspire adults and vice versa, leveling the playing field and empowering everyone involved.

The ripple effects of this work extend far beyond the studio walls. Wendy recently encountered a former student at a drive-through who remembered her as “Sam’s mom who used to bring crafts” to their elementary school years ago. These moments illuminate how creative community building plants seeds that bloom across decades, creating lasting memories and inspiration.

Building Ecosystem, Not Just Business

As part of the Creative Collective network, Wendy has discovered that creative community building thrives through collaboration. She creates wholesale products for other collective members like Ashley from The Good Witch in Salem, demonstrating how these connections create an ecosystem where businesses support each other’s growth. “We met at a coffee meetup and just talking and connecting,” she notes, highlighting how simple conversations can spark meaningful partnerships.

This collaborative approach extends to how Create & Escape operates daily. Rather than following “standard operating procedures,” Wendy and her sister built their business exactly as they envisioned: with big hearts, community focus, and special attention to supporting women who need that precious pause to recharge. “When we get done with our activity and being crafty or artsy, that’s your opportunity that you’re going to be a better mom because you took that break for yourself,” Wendy explains.

Looking Forward: Sustaining Creative Community Building

Eight years after wondering if they’d last beyond their first year, Create & Escape has become a cornerstone of downtown Peabody’s creative economy. Wendy’s accessibility—she shares her cell number on the website and answers calls at 6 AM—reflects a commitment to being genuinely available to her community. This personal touch in an increasingly digital world creates the trust and connection that makes creative community building possible.

As we explore what it means to build businesses that serve our communities, Wendy’s story reminds us that sometimes the most profound impact comes from simply creating space for people to make things together. Whether it’s a wounded warrior finding connection through virtual workshops, a caregiver taking a much-needed break, or a child discovering they’re an artist, these moments of creative community building ripple outward, strengthening the fabric of our neighborhoods.

Episode Description

In this episode, Mikki Wilson sits down with Wendy Lattof, creative entrepreneur and co-founder of Create & Escape Creative Studios in downtown Peabody. Wendy shares her eight-year journey from mobile workshops to Main Street cornerstone, revealing how family values and community commitment drive her unique approach to making art accessible to everyone. Through their 100% satisfaction guarantee and the Create and Escape Art Foundation, Wendy and her sister have built more than a business—they’ve created a vital community space where people disconnect from digital noise and reconnect through creativity. The conversation explores how intergenerational workshops foster unexpected connections, why accessibility matters in creative spaces, and how being part of Creative Collective amplifies impact through collaboration

Connect with Wendy:

• Location: 71 Main Street, Peabody (next to Breaking Grounds)
• Website: Create and Escape DIY
• Social: @createandescape on Facebook and Instagram
• Phone: Available on website (yes, Wendy actually answers!)

Credits: Hosted by Mikki Wilson, founder of Dot Connector Consulting Produced by Randyll Collum for Peabody TV (peabodytv.org) A Creative Collective podcast (creativecollectivema.com). Sponsored by Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry