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VERMONT VOICES : GRACE POTTER
A : I was deeply influenced by my upbringing and the location in which I grew up . To be honest , I didn ’ t realize just how rare it was to grow up in a Vermont ski town . Other people who came to town to visit would see our small-town Vermont lifestyle as a novel , idyllic , and magical existence . I ’ m very proud of where I came from , but I wouldn ’ t say it defined me . It wasn ’ t my whole identity . I grew up around working farmers and people who did define their lives by the land they lived on . Their way of life and the manner in which they made a living was entirely wrapped up in the care of that land . I think I came to see artistry as something that could flourish here in Vermont fairly early on in my life . So many of the folks who live in the Mad River Valley are architects , artisans , builders , makers , dreamers , and inventors — and the same thing applies to the entire state . There ’ s an exploratory energy that accompanies the mental state of being a Vermonter , but until I traveled outward to other towns and cities across the United States with my band and started seeing the stark contrast of lifestyles , I didn ’ t really recognize the uniqueness of the cultural autonomy that people were seeking out here in Vermont . I recognized that it wasn ’ t as prevalent in the other places that I traveled to , and it deepened my gratitude for the place that I came from . It reinforced my understanding of the importance of humility . Even in a swashbuckling career such as mine , staying humble and remembering your roots is key to staying afloat in the world and in life as you grow older .
Q : I saw a recent interview that you did for Senator Bernie Sanders ’ YouTube channel where you touched on how you explored extracurricular creativity during your teenage years in Vermont . In your own words , you said you sometimes felt like a “ square peg trying to fit in a round hole .” You also talked about the Governor ’ s Institute for the Arts and how it helped you . What role did the arts organizations in Vermont play in catalyzing your creativity ?
A : Governor ’ s Institute had a huge impact on me . It was also , on a foundational level , a change in my social understanding of myself . When I got there , I realized that there were so many different catalysts for creativity . I found myself connecting to many people my age and professional artists of all types who made their way in Vermont . Verandah Porche was one of those people . Geof Hewitt was another , and I learned about the poetic essence that they were seeking out when they came and lived in
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Katherine B . Brady , CFP ® Timothy S . O ’ Connor , EA , CFP ® RNL & Associates A Division of Berkshire Bank 86 North Main St ., Rutland , VT 802.773.4115 katie @ lazzaroassociates . com
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18 VERMONT MAGAZINE