09/09/2026
🎨 One Year of Artful Impact! 🎨
One year ago, we opened the doors to Artful Impact for the very first time. And as I look back on this past year, I am grateful and proud of what we are building.
Leaving the classroom after 20+ years was a huge change for me. I wasn't sure exactly what this next chapter would look like, but Artful Impact has been exactly what I needed. I genuinely look forward to coming to work every day. I get to spend my days with an amazing group of artists, create alongside them, laugh with them, learn from them, and watch them discover their talents!
I am constantly challenged to think about how we can make Artful Impact better, how we can continue to grow, and how we can create a place where adults with disabilities feel empowered, valued, included, and proud of what they can contribute.
This first year has shown me just how incredible our community can be. We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received through our events and open houses, donations brought or sent to the studio, custom orders, words of encouragement, and most importantly, the growing number of families who have heard about Artful Impact and decided to give us a try.
And then there is the studio itself....
I still remember what this space looked like when we started. It was bare and full of possibility. Today, it is filled with color, supplies, creativity, artwork, laughter, and so much personality. It has become a place where our artists can experiment, try something new, make mistakes, start over, and discover talents they may not have known they had.
I am so excited to see where Artful Impact is one year from now. This next year brings some exciting opportunities as we transition to nonprofit status and begin pursuing grants that can help us purchase new equipment and explore new projects and skills. We hope to collaborate with more businesses and organizations in our community and find ways to share our artists' talents and gifts beyond the walls of our studio.
❤️ To my husband, family, and friends - thank you for your encouragement, support, and belief in me and this idea!
❤️ To all of our Artful Impact families — thank you for trusting me/us with your loved ones. It is an incredible responsibility and privilege to provide opportunities for learning, social connection, creativity, and vocational growth.
❤️And finally, thank you to everyone who has supported Artful Impact in some way this past year. Whether you donated supplies, purchased something our artists created, attended an event, placed a custom order, shared one of our posts, encouraged us, or simply told someone about Artful Impact, you have helped make this first year possible.
Here's to another year of creating, learning, growing, trying new things, discovering new talents, and showing the world just how much our adults with disabilities have to offer.
Happy One Year, Artful Impact! 🎨
