I believe everybody is an artist.

Everyone has the ability to be creative and create, and I love to use my practice to bring out people’s inner artist through exploration, play and self-expression. 

I’d love to come to your school, business, or organization and spark your creativity. I do multi-day collaborative projects, or, if you only have a bit of time, I do one day visits with workshops and artist talks. 

Collaborative Projects

I love to dream up collaborative projects, tailored specifically to fit the needs of the group.  I have made upcycled installations with grade school children and monster masks with non-profit leaders.  Large-scale projects are usually 1-2 weeks in length. Although all of my collaborative projects are unique and different, they tend to follow a similar process:  

1. I share my art


I often begin each collaborative project with an artist talk geared specifically toward the group. I use my own creative process to show that art doesn’t have to be intimidating or overly conceptual. It can be playful and imaginative, with no wrong way to be an artist.

2. We create together

Next, we create a safe environment where exploration is encouraged and expectations are clear. By inviting each participant to complete a small piece, I aim to give everyone the opportunity to express their authentic voice while contributing to the larger collective vision.


As an environmentally conscious artist, I often invite my collaborators to explore concepts of resourcefulness and re-imagination by utilizing salvaged textiles and other repurposed materials.

3. I put it all together

Finally, I assemble everyone's contributions into a cohesive whole. Sometimes this takes the form of upcycled installations, other times it’s a giant textile monster. No matter what we create together, what’s most important to me is that everyone witnesses the entire process, from conception to completion, and sees how their individual contribution adds to the collective work.


Below are samples of collaborative projects…

“Lexy is an extraordinary artist with a joyful and infectious spirit. As a teaching artist, she has a gifted ability to connect to students of all ages and abilities, creating space for collaboration and play.  I am fortunate to have had many occasions to collaborate closely with Lexy and experience her ability to draw out everyone’s ideas and synthesize them into a visionary project that will spark artists’ imaginations.”
- Andrea Cote, Education Program Coordinator, Watermill Center, NY 

workshops and artist talks

If you’ve only got a few hours to get creative, I offer workshops and artist talks as well.  

Whether it’s a presentation at your university, or a professional development workshop at your business, these sessions are designed to enhance skills in creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication. 

All offerings can be adapted for both in-person and online formats.

Workshops

I facilitate workshops for all ages and abilities. They are often rooted in play and self-expression, fostering a space for participants to connect deeper with themselves and each other. Past workshops have included mask-making, puppet-making, and sewing, primarily using found and salvaged materials. I often incorporate a short artist talk, creative warm up, and space for group reflection in these 2-3 hour workshops.

Past workshops have been hosted by the Museum of Arts and Design, The Audacious Project as part of TED, BAM, Skidmore College, Flux Factory, Groundswell Community Murals, and The Watermill Center, among others. 

Artist Talks

While I’m a trained artist, I strive to make art accessible to everyone. My artist talks offer an intimate glimpse into my practice and an opportunity to demystify the creative process. I want to inspire everyone to explore their imaginative side, regardless of their training or experience and I always tailor my talks to the specific interests and needs of the audience.

I was a keynote speaker at NAEA in 2021, the largest conference for Art Educators in the States, and have been invited to speak to classes at NYU, SUNY Purchase, Parsons School for Design, among others. I also enjoy talking to young artists about my work.

“Lexy is an engaging, dynamic, and joyful presenter. The professional development workshop she led at Artists for Kids was thoughtfully designed for elementary educators. She shared a multi-media arts activity that provided many opportunities for cross-curricular teaching, linking the Visual Arts, Applied Design, Skills and Technologies, language arts, and Social Emotional Learning. Lexy is a multi-talented artist and designer and created for Artists for Kids a gorgeous illustrated step-by-step lesson plan that enabled teachers to bring their learning from the workshop back to their own classrooms. We would love to work with Lexy again!”
- Amelia Epp, Program Coordinator & District Visual Arts Teacher, Artists for Kids, Vancouver, BC

“Lexy is an incredibly creative and talented artist, and such a masterful facilitator! She worked with us to design a workshop for a group of non-profit leaders who were coming together in person for the first time. She cultivated an environment where people from all different fields (science, climate, justice, education, etc.) were able to show up and let their guard down, be curious about their creative process, and learn about each other (and themselves) through art-making. It was such a beautiful way to spend time together! “

- Lilah Doblin, Associate Producer, The Audacious Project, an initiative of TED

Interested in collaborating?

I’d love to hear from you! Email me at lexyhotai@gmail.com with your ideas, timeline and budget. I am currently based in New Orleans, but I am willing to travel for projects and work virtually. Let’s chat more!

Bonus…

Make your own mini monster

Based off of my practice, here is a free + fun guide I created for making a miniature armature monster, primarily using found and recycled materials. The monster can be brought to life with stop motion animation!