Clara Woods is the artist resident of Rogue Collective

Hi guys,

I know we've been talking about this for a while, but I never actually sat down and wrote about it. It's been in my heart for so long, so I just decided now is the time.

I still remember the day I came to Rogue for the first time. I had brought Davi to the dentist, and we found a coffee shop nearby with a flyer of Rogue. I looked at it and thought, I need to see this place. We went, and it was closed. I had been hunting for a workspace where I could work in peace.

So the next day I came back, this time with Carlo, and we spoke with Cory. The place felt like a dream, and I wanted to rent a desk right away. But we were struggling financially, and for me, that was a really big step. So I asked God for a sign. And I got it. I was trembling, and I said yes.

In the months that followed, my productivity went up by hundreds of percent. I was so happy to have found a community and a place where I belonged.

With time, Clara started coming with me more and more. Then Rogue had a staff shift, and Abby came into the picture with new ideas. That's when they decided to invite Clara to be their artist in residence.

You know those things you didn't know you needed until you had them? This was one of those. Abby and Matt proposed it to us, and gave Clara a huge space in the back of Rogue, with a big door that opens right onto the parking lot, so we can dry the artworks outside. A dream.

I'm always the one worrying that Clara is making a mess around it, and they're not worried at all. The coolest thing is how included Clara is, how they treat her as Clara, for exactly who she is.

Abby talked about how being at Rogue means people get to see more than just the finished paintings, they get to witness the process itself, the discipline and the courage behind it.

Matt talked about wanting Rogue to be a place where bold stories and real talent are not just welcomed, but celebrated. And Clara said that "art gave me a voice."

Rogue Collective is a Newport Beach-based playground for creatives and an innovation hub within the Rogue United ecosystem. Designed as a gathering space for entrepreneurs, creators and cultural leaders, Rogue Collective fosters collaboration at the intersection of art, business and immersive experience.

I couldn't be more grateful. Writing this, I just want to cry from gratitude.

Love, love and love, Betina