Rachel Wachman
Dec 15, 2025
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Jessica Rayno turned to art after she was laid off from her corporate project management job.
She had been in her field for 15 years and felt shaken up by the sudden change. It ended up being a gift in disguise.
“That’s when I discovered my passion for art and how much of a mental reset it can be to not get so focused in the productivity of the corporate world and more into the free-flowing creative world,” Rayno said.
Rayno leaned into the shift, searching for ways to foster creativity wherever she could. She began working at an art studio and witnessed the experimental, playful manner in which children approached art.
“Their parents, when they came in to pick up their children, they’d say, ‘Oh, I wish I had that now for myself as an adult,'” she said.
Thus, The Cozy Artist was born. Rayno decided to start a business geared towards bringing art into the workplace to help provide a “creative break” and combat burnout. She moved to the Concord area earlier this fall, ready to bring The Cozy Artist to the local community.
Rayno sees a whole host of benefits in giving adults the chance to reignite their creative sides. From rock painting, cookie decorating, wreath-making and more, she’s constantly searching for more ways to engage people through workplace events and open community sessions.
“It really allows us to switch off our thinking minds, disconnect from the thought processes that kind of get us burnt out and just get into this flow state where we’re using our hands and we’re tapping into our imagination, and that helps us become better problem solvers,” she said.
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