Community helping Arizona art studio clean up from vandalism

MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. — A small business owner in the Valley is cleaning up some costly damage after her art studio was vandalized.

Laurie Canfield, the owner of Sunshine Sunflower Studio, got a call from her neighbor last Friday, telling her a man was destroying her studio in Laveen. 

Canfield called the police and rushed there to find the man still inside. 

“He came out wearing one of our studio t-shirts and carrying a can of spray paint,” Canfield said. 

The man, identified by law enforcement as Taylon Taylor-Whitefield, is accused of spray painting the walls and writing on the doors and cabinets. 

“It did not make sense, a lot of it, to me,” Canfield said. “Some of it was in English, some of it was in Spanish.” 

The suspect also destroyed the drywall, rearranged furniture and packed up artwork. 

“It was heartbreaking to walk into,” Canfield said.

The artist expects he was likely inside for several hours.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said Taylor-Whitefield broke in through a window.

Canfield thinks he picked her studio by chance.

“I don’t think it was intended specifically toward us, to hurt us in any way. I just think it was an opportunistic thing that occurred for him,” Canfield said.

Despite the gloomy situation, Canfield is remaining positive. She told 12News she feels it could have been much worse. 

“When I was cleaning the floors the other day, I was like, I feel like I’m healing, you know, I feel like I’m moving in a positive direction,” Canfield said.

The community is helping, too.

A local muralist painted sunflowers over the spray paint on the outside walls. 

“You already are able to feel the good vibes coming back,” Canfield said. 

Canfield said the repairs are estimated to cost about $9,000. She will also be investing in new security systems. 

The studio started a GoFundMe page to help pay for repairs. Anyone who would like to donate can click here. 

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