Some Dreams Take Six Years to Come True! ❤️🎨

You know how sometimes dreams take a little longer to come true? 

Let's go back to 2020. Clara was still my little Clara; the world was in the middle of the pandemic crisis, and we were living in Florence, Italy. We were traveling to Milan for some events when we had the chance to meet Gianni Maimeri for the first time. 

Our first meeting was at Gianni's home, and OMG, what a home! It looked like an art gallery! Art everywhere, so many beautiful things to see, and of course, Clara was in heaven. But the real paradise was still waiting for her.

(Clara and Gianni Maimeri - October 2020, Italy)

Some time later, we visited Gianni again, this time at the Maimeri factory. Now, imagine taking a little girl who LOVES painting to a factory FULL OF PAINT! Yes, an actual acrylic paint factory! For Clara, it was like visiting Disneyland! We explored, learned how things worked, saw so many colors, and of course, we didn't leave empty-handed. Clara came home with some acrylic paints and a very happy heart.

But wait, do you know Maimeri?

If you don't know Maimeri, let me tell you a little about them, because their story is pretty cool too!

Maimeri was founded in Italy in 1923, more than 100 years ago! Yes, ONE HUNDRED YEARS! It all started with two brothers, Gianni Maimeri (the dad of our Gianni), who was a painter, and Carlo Maimeri, who knew all about chemistry. They had a dream of making beautiful paints for artists in Italy, at a time when many art supplies had to come from other countries. So they decided to create their own! I love that this company was born from two brothers bringing their different talents together to make something special.

And can you imagine everything this company has lived through? More than a century of history, including World War II, when their factory was damaged by a bomb. But they rebuilt it and kept going! Over the years, the company grew, new generations joined, and their paints found their way into the hands of artists around the world. In 2014, Maimeri joined the Italian F.I.L.A. Group, opening another chapter in its story.

(Clara creating at Maimeri Factory - October 2020 - Italy)

Today, Maimeri has so many different paints, but you know what makes Clara go crazy? THE ACRYLICS! So many beautiful, bright, vibrant colors! If you know Clara, you know she LOVES colors! The brighter, the better! I think she could spend hours just looking at all the different shades and imagining what she could create with them.

And now, more than 100 years after two brothers started their dream in Italy, Clara gets to become part of Maimeri's story too. How cool is that?

But let's go back to 2020...

After that visit, we had several conversations about doing something together. There were ideas, dreams, and possibilities, but life had other plans for us. We received our American visas, packed our lives into suitcases, and moved to the United States in December 2020. Everything happened so fast, and somehow, we lost touch with Gianni.

Until six years later...

Earlier this year, we were getting ready to travel back to Milan to see Clara's official artwork for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Can you imagine how emotional that trip was for us? We were going back to Italy to celebrate something that, years ago, would have sounded impossible.

As usual, I started calling people, organizing meetings, and trying to make the most of our time in Milan. And guess who came back into our lives?

GIANNI!!!!

Not only did he remember us, but he stepped in and organized an incredible event in Milan. And you know what I believe? When hearts connect once, then they connect again!

Clara and Gianni laughed, talked, shared memories, and, of course, dreamed! It felt like those six years had never happened. 

(Clara and Gianni - Milan - February 2026)

Then we met Giacomo, the new CEO of Maimeri and Gianni's son.

Some conversations followed, some ideas started growing, and then came an invitation that made Clara go completely crazy with happiness!

Maimeri invited Clara to become a creative partner in a very special collaboration!

Oh guys, you should have seen her reaction! She cried, she laughed, she got so excited, and immediately her imagination went everywhere! And when Clara starts dreaming, there is no stopping her!

Then came the PAINTS! Lots and lots of colorful acrylic paints from Maimeri. And suddenly, our studio was full of even more colors, new ideas, and Clara creating, creating, creating! I love watching her when she's like this, so happy, so curious, and so excited to try something new. Did you watch Clara unboxing the acrylic when it arrived?

When two worlds connect 

But do you know what makes this collaboration even more special to me? It's what we believe in together. For Maimeri, colors have been part of their story for more than 100 years. For Clara, colors became her way of communicating with the world. Because even though Clara cannot speak, read, or write, she has SO MUCH to say! And through her art, she has found a way to share her feelings, her dreams, her crazy imagination, and even things that I, as her mom, sometimes don't understand!

And I think this is where our two worlds connect so beautifully. We believe that art belongs to EVERYONE! You don't need to be a professional artist, you don't need to know how to draw, and you certainly don't need to create something perfect. You just need the freedom to try, to play, to make a mess, to have fun, and maybe even discover something about yourself along the way. Because sometimes a little color can open a whole new world, and Clara is living proof of that. ❤️

I also love thinking about how many people have used Maimeri's colors over the last 100 years. How many dreams started with someone opening a tube of paint? How many people found a little happiness, peace, or even courage while creating something? And now Clara gets to add her own story to all those years of creativity.

(Clara in her studio in Newport Beach, California - June 2026)

And now... SOMETHING IS COMING! 👀🎨

Six years after that first meeting in Gianni's home, we are working on something together that makes our hearts SO HAPPY!

I wish I could tell you everything right now, but I promised to keep the secret a little longer. 🤫

All I can say is that SOMETHING SOOOOO COOL IS COMING!!!!

It's colorful, it's full of love, and we are putting so much of Clara's personality into it! But most importantly, we hope it will encourage more people to create, to have fun, to spend time with someone they love, and maybe even discover a part of themselves they didn't know was there.

(Clara painted Gianni's portrait while in Maimeri Factory in May 2026 - Italy)

Because who knows? Maybe somewhere out there is another little Clara, waiting to discover what colors can do for her.

And maybe there's someone who is 60, 70, or 80 years old, who has always wanted to paint but never tried. Well, maybe this is your sign!

So stay close, because the next chapter of Clara and Maimeri is coming soon!

And I promise, it's worth the wait!

With love,

Betina ❤️