The past year was a blur — in the best possible ways! I got married, bought a home in Detroit’s Islandview neighborhood, and started an amazing new job. Each one was a gift, a simcha. Together, they were … a lot. Somewhere in the whirlwind, something important slipped away: my creative practice suffered, my mindfulness grew distracted, and I struggled mightily to quiet my mind and find stillness.

I set out to find what was missing, and the result is my current art show, Lost & Found. Through that process, I realized I had neglected something essential: the value of (unstructured, unapologetic) play in my life. Not as a luxury, but as a vital practice of presence, creativity, and joy.

For me, play often takes the form of artistic exploration. For others, it might be sports, dancing, gardening, cooking — anything that invites flow and quiets the incessant hum of obligation.

That impulse to pause and simply be isn’t new. Ancient Jewish wisdom baked in a rhythm for this: Shabbat. While I’m far from shomer shabbos, I deeply revere the wisdom of setting aside sacred time for joy, reflection, and nonthought. This year, I’ve reclaimed my own Shabbat practice, prioritizing time for my brain to rest. It’s about more than stopping work; it’s a weekly reminder that life is so much more than productivity and that rest is essential for creation.

That’s the essence of Lost & Found. The maze-like works in this show don’t lead to a clear destination; they loop and meander, inviting you to slow down, get lost for a moment, and make space for wonder-filled wandering. They’re reminders that play — and mindfulness itself — is sacred, and that sometimes the most important thing we can do is refocus on the journey rather than the destination.

Play is a gift, a tool and a compass. It reconnects us with the present, sparks creativity, and restores joy that daily routines so easily erode. It comes naturally to us as kids, but as adults, we have to choose it. Nurture it. Protect it.

These pieces reflect my own process of rediscovering joy and presence through playful exploration, and I hope they invite your inner child to do the same.

Lost & Found is on display through Sunday, October 26, 2025, at Robyn Detroit (441 W Canfield St, Detroit, MI 48201) during normal store hours.

Closing Night Celebration: Saturday, October 25, 5–8 PM. Come play with me!
Details: https://mazysuzan.com/rsvp