Embracing creative chaos fuels Terry Valdez’s artistic journey
One of the most important lessons artist Terry Valdez has learned is that creativity often thrives in a little chaos.
In fact, he embraced the idea so fully that he designed “Creative Chaos” T-shirts for fellow artists and collaborators throughout the community.
“Playfulness is really where some of the best ideas come from,” Valdez told me.
For him, Creative Chaos serves as a reminder to approach the world with the curiosity and imagination of a child. That mindset has shaped not only his artwork but also the way he encourages others to discover their own creative voices. Valdez credits Steve King, the city’s former economic development leader, with coining the phrase “Creative Chaos.”
Too often, Valdez believes, artists lose that sense of play when they become overly focused on technique. “I call it sneaking up on an idea,” he said. “If you get too literal, too left-brained, it gets me in more trouble than it’s worth.”
Valdez is one of four North Central Washington residents participating in the Ripple Foundation’s Elder Speak program, which invites community elders to reflect on their life experiences and share the wisdom they’ve gained with future generations.
Joining Valdez this year are adventurer Tina Reiman of Leavenworth, Community for the Advancement of Education co-founder Alma Chacon, and retired pastor and mental health counselor Jim Caulkins. The four will share their stories and insights during public events this fall in Leavenworth and Wenatchee. More information is available at the Ripple Foundation website.
For Valdez, playfulness has become both a personal philosophy and a teaching tool.
Recently, I had the opportunity to watch Creative Chaos come to life when Valdez joined Rock Island Elementary counselor Rosie White in guiding 12 students through the creation of a mural. The students were given the outline of a salmon and complete freedom to fill the space with their own artistic visions.
“The beauty of art is that artists break rules,” Valdez said. “That’s one of the most striking things about it because it stimulates conversation.”
The same philosophy drives the Art Cart project, which Valdez founded with his daughter, Claire and the Wenatchee Art Education Consortium, which provided creative and financial support. They bring art supplies and creative opportunities to community events, encouraging children to explore self-expression without fear of making mistakes.
Born in New Mexico in 1950, Valdez moved to Wenatchee with his family three years later. His father died of cancer when Terry was just 9 years old, a loss that shaped his early life.
His mother Toni, a single mom, was critically important in Valdez’s evolution as a human and an artist, because she modeled a strong work ethic.
A second-grade teacher at St. Joseph’s Elementary, Mrs. Hozack, was among the first to recognize his artistic gifts. She encouraged his mother to nurture his talent, planting a seed that would grow into a lifelong passion. It’s a reminder of how often teachers see potential in us long before we recognize it ourselves.
As a young athlete, Valdez also learned valuable lessons about joy, teamwork and belonging through Little League baseball under coach Francis “Frenchy” Green. “We never won a league title, but boy, we had a lot of fun,” Valdez recalled.
Green made sure every child had an opportunity to participate, regardless of ability. Years later, Valdez carried those same values into his own work as an art teacher and tennis coach in the Eastmont School District.
Throughout his career, he has championed inclusion and creative risk-taking, whether in the classroom, on the tennis court or through community projects such as the redevelopment of Kiwanis Methow Park, where neighborhood children and adults helped create public art.
Valdez also studied under acclaimed artist Gandy Brodie in New York. Brodie taught him that the strongest art often contains ambiguity rather than certainty. Another of Valdez’s mentors was Robert Graves.
Their lessons continue to influence Valdez’s work today.
Many of his paintings draw inspiration from dreams. “A lot of my paintings have some kind of dream aspect where the imagery comes from the night visitors, as I call them,” he said. One example is Ganesha and the Cosmic Crows, displayed at Claire Valdez’s yoga studio in East Wenatchee.
Over the years, Valdez has discovered that fostering playfulness, encouraging artistic risk-taking and remaining true to one’s inner artist can build remarkable confidence in both children and adults.
His life offers a powerful reminder that creativity is not about perfection. It is about curiosity, courage and the willingness to explore without knowing exactly where the journey will lead.
For Terry Valdez, Creative Chaos is more than a slogan. It is a way of living—and a gift he continues to share with his community.
