About Iris Nason

Iris has always been a creative individual. As a child she did ballet, theater, and played the violin. In high school she longed to find compassion and connection and dreamed of teaching teachers how to teach neurodivergent learners such as herself. Drama classes such as Improvisation and Drama of Social Issues allowed her to be her spontaneous, outgoing self. In college, at UMass Amherst, she designed her own Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration, “Expressive Education,” combining theories of education, psychology, theater, art and dance.

Iris began Growing Arts as parent and child creative movement classes lovingly called "Wiggle and Giggle" in Boulder, CO. She continued to reach families and youth of all ages each time she moved to a new city or neighborhood. Iris has experience working with children of all ages. She worked with Expressive Art Therapists at a day camp, the dance and drama education group Turning the Wheel, led an experiential art table at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, taught at preschools learning about Montessori, RIE and Reggio Emelia, and participated in a Rainbow Kids Yoga training.

Her Master’s in Education from Lesley University specialized in Creative Arts in Learning. During that study she further developed Growing Arts, offering creative movement, tactile art and free play in Newton, MA through the Parks and Recreation Department, renovating a small field house.

As a parent Iris wants to have a safe place for her teens to gather with friends, find creativity and create connection. Welcoming teens to teach one another about their passions such as animal rights, playing D&D, directing a theater piece, drawing, making jewelry, and whatever else they are inspired by, is the kind of alternative learning center Iris longed for as a kid.