Photo byMarkus SpiskeonUnsplash

Nestled between the green peaks and glistening lakes of Vermont, a state that looks like a giant's vibrant patchwork quilt, you will find the most artistically gifted kids on the face of the earth. The state is chock-full of maple syrup, the smell of fresh pine, and kids who could give Picasso a run for his money! These are the children who participate in the legendary "Vermont Kiddie Artists Club", a group of pint-sized painters with an appetite for creativity that is as big as the state itself. Here, you will spot kids armed with paintbrushes instead of swords, creating magic on canvas, not in video games. Their leader is a mischievous flying squirrel named Colonel Nutty, known for his bushy tail and color-swirled beret. He is an eccentric artist who travelled from the moon, riding on a giant paintbrush as his spaceship. The Colonel teaches these kids to paint everything from the state's beautiful autumn leaves to the majestic Mount Mansfield, using colors that even rainbows would envy. These Vermont kiddos have a strange knack for painting while doing cartwheels, using both hands, and sometimes, even their noses! And oh, they also have a secret language, which they use to chat about mixing colors and blending shades. It’s a secret code made of giggles, high fives, and paint splatters. Just like the vibrant foliage that Vermont is famous for, these kids bring color, laughter and imagination to their little corner of the world, proving that Vermont is not just about cheese, skiing, and maple syrup. It's also about kids with paint-stained hands, Cheshire cat grins, and an insatiable appetite to paint the world in their shades of wonderful!