Inspirations

A See My Art Story of Success – Mary Uedelhofen

Sara and See My Art Board Members,

Thank you all for providing the See My Art artists the opportunities to share their art with the public and sell some too at the recent Fall Fest and Christmas Craft Fair in Cable.
At these events the artists also showcase See My Art and do their best to be good ambassadors for the organization and role models for others with disabilities.

At each of these recent events I helped my sister, Mary Uedelhofen, show and sell her cards. Something almost magical happens when the event starts, Mary introduces herself to everyone passing her booth/display. That simple, “Hi I’m Mary. I’m a See My Art artist and these are my cards.” Transforms her and for the rest of the day and her dual disabilities take second place and the pre-disabilities Mary shines through. The other surprise is how many people actually stop after being greeted and ask about See My Art, Mary’s Art, and purchase cards.

Then there’s the hidden gold that gets discovered at these events. The gold of Mary talking with a young teen in a wheel chair about See My Art and how it  and discovering art has been such a positive force in Mary’s life. Mary convinced this young woman to go to the See My Art booth and talk with Sara .

The gold sparkles in all the compliments from other local and out of the area artists stopping to admire and praise Mary’s artwork.

It sparkles in the mom borrowing two crumpled dollar bills and 4 quarters from her three kids so she could buy herself a water bottle sticker., or, the couple who after leaving came back just to purchase two of Mary’s cards because they liked her art and the See My Art organization.

The gold shows up in serendipitous ways at these events. An artist from Mellon bought some of Mary’s bird cards and last week she mailed Mary one of her hummingbird prints as s gift! It isn’t about being gifted a print to Mary it’s about the gift of acknowledgement that she may no longer be a teacher living independently, but she is now a real artist.

Lastly, Mary was delighted when Cass was excited to see Mary’s egg cards and bought several of them because she had been gifted one of the egg prints. The delightful conversation they had filled Mary’s gold pan!

Sincerely,
Candi Ahiers on behalf of SMARTists Mary Uedelhofen

Life is a Pretty Word  –  Hoofen Floofen Island

Inspiration to mindfully live life to the fullest following, or perhaps because of, great personal loss, is the mission of the “life is a pretty word” site.

Lena Rufus, Monica Sword’s deceased daughter, once scribbled “life is a pretty word” on a scrap of paper. Monica uses this sentiment every day, as a tribute to Lena, as a guiding force in her life, and as inspiration to others through her writing.

Monica Sword

www.lifeisaprettyword.com