Crafting Connections Through Art and Generosity

How do you decide whether to share your creative work with the world or keep it personal? On this episode of Brewtifully Made, I navigate this artistic dilemma while celebrating an unexpected honor: the Woman of Distinction award from a local group in Stark County, Soroptimist International of Canton/Stark County. This recognition has sparked a deep reflection on the power of art and its role in community building. Join me as I recount the journey of creating a nurturing space for artists within my gallery, and how this accolade might inspire new opportunities for memory-making and engagement.

It's not just about the art, but also about giving back, and I'm thrilled to share my involvement with the Wishes Can Happen organization. With a $200 donation as part of my award, I chose to support them, marking over a decade of heartfelt collaboration. Listen to stories of creating a craft room for a young girl named Iris, battling cancer, and the joy of dressing up as a giant rabbit to bring smiles to children during tough times. This episode underscores the magic of art, kindness, and community coming together to make a real difference.

Soroptimist International of Canton/Stark County

Instagram for Soroptimist International of Canton/Stark County

Tickets for March 8 luncheon at the Canton Women’s Club

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:06

Hello, welcome back to a new episode of Brutally Made. It's nice to be back. The new month, it's February and a lot is happening. I recently was recognized by a group here in the Stark County area and I have really just had to take a moment to think about how to just accept being seen and as an artist, it's something that when you're working on art, you make a decision Do I want my art to be out there in the world for everyone to see or am I making it just for myself and I really don't want to share it? And either way it's fine, you know, no, no right or wrong. But then when you step outside of that part of making art and you want to create a space like I have to give to other people an opportunity to create and encourage and inspire people and create, I guess, an opportunity to just share other artists, like I have at the gallery and things like that, you hope that people accept it and embrace it and want to be part of it, because that's all part of really the surrounding basis of creating a community surrounded by art. And this group and town saw that that's my heart and that I wanted to do that and have recognized me for an award called Woman of Distinction and I was totally shocked, had no idea that they, you know, saw me as that and so Serapimus I'm always going to mess up their names and I apologize international and this group really promotes the best of women and that is an honor to be awarded such a recognition. And I am blown away and it's not a reason I started my company and business and sharing my art you know it's not for accolades Yet people are like you deserve them all and which is just the sweetest thing to say. I just am humbled by being seen in that light, because I just want people to feel embraced and encouraged and accepted and know that they have a space to create and their voice can be heard, and I love that. That's exactly what they saw and what I was doing and want to showcase that doing and want to showcase that. I'm hoping that with the award comes people stopping by the shop and taking a moment with their friends and family and making a memory, because that's the whole basis of it. That's why I want I want people to feel like they can go out and achieve their dreams and encourage others and find our place and space in this world and make it accessible for other people and decide I want to create and I'm only going to do it for myself, or this is going to encourage me to do things this way in my business. Just take it and run with it as they see fit for what fits their dreams and lifestyle, and that's. I'm just again blown away and I cannot thank them enough for taking a moment to review everything that I'm doing.

Speaker 1: 4:26

I don't know who nominated me. I appreciate that so much. Mary and Isabella, who came into the shop, have been in my shop taking classes and enjoyed workshops and shopped, and so they had been there before and they were the ones that had stopped by and gave me the award and told me you know, I guess, gave me the information that I had been awarded. There's a luncheon in March that people can attend and that's where it's like officially presented. And another layer of this is that I get to present a check to a nonprofit of my choice and it's $200. And that's just incredible to me that they allow that to be part of the recognition I chose.

Speaker 1: 5:26

Wishes Can Happen because I've been involved with them for over 10 years and I wanted to give back a little bit in any way that I can. I'm helping grant a wish for a young lady, iris, who has been battling cancer. She's 12. And her wish was to have a craft room and I got to be part of creating that space and shopping with her and her sisters and mom and getting some materials together for her craft dreams. I loved being part of that.

Speaker 1: 6:05

And I've done other things with the organization on top of volunteering and providing creative oh, my goodness, I've done decorating, I've done face painting, helping celebrate parties, for some of the children was presentations, just, oh, my goodness, presenting gifts. I've dressed up as a giant rabbit to present bunnies to a little girl. I'm just, you know, taking a moment to be able to give back to these families that are battling such, you know, difficult times. So it is, you know, one of the organizations that I love helping, and so I selected them as the recipient of that check, which, again, I appreciate this organization so, so much for allowing me to be recognized for what I'm doing, because it's really I want it to all fully come back to the community. I really want it to be a reflection of how much the community has embraced what I'm doing and enjoying it and seeing it for what it is and allowing me to be part of that in their lives. It's just something that means so much to me.

Speaker 1: 7:25

But it's just amazing, as an artist, how people are touched and inspired by what you do in ways that you have no idea what you do out in the world is is really being seen in ways that you aren't planning and aren't preparing for. It's just a reflection of you know how other people are taking it in. So I just wanted to talk a little bit about that and just the unexpected joys of being yourself and finding your voice and, you know, leaning into your style and in what you do, and I am literally just putting things out there that bring me joy and that make me happy and sharing it and hoping it makes somebody else just as happy as it makes me. And that's exactly what's happening and that is amazing. I'm not being quiet about it. I am, you know, sharing everything that I can, because I can, because I it's just part of me. I have to, I have to be creative, I have to do this on a daily basis and it's just like air to me, it's just like breathing. It's just I can't. There's no other way to explain it. It's just part of me and I feel like it always has been part of me and now I am just not backing down and I hope that this you know little discussion on embracing what you're feeling is your passion and doing that and making it happen encourages you and, along the way, other people may recognize it and feel inspired by it and just go with it, let it happen and thank them, be very genuine about it, and I hope that they see how humble I am, I, I, I have been in all of this. I just I can't believe that people like the things that I'm doing on that level. So, thank you, thank you so, so much, and I, um, I do hope that, uh, it continues to blossom the way that it has.

Speaker 1: 10:05

The entire year is booked now with exhibiting artists and 2026 is now over a third of the way booked. I love that. I have not like advertised for that. I've just shared what I'm doing and artists are contacting me and they're wanting to be seen and their work seen, and that's what I'm here for and I love that. This month Tom Wachunas is our exhibiting artist and his opening reception is this weekend and I'm really excited for him to have that, and then next week is his round table discussion about his work and all the years that he has put into that and a slideshow of his work. So I'm very excited about that and I am just embracing our creative community and finding ways to share their work as well in my space, and it's accessible to everyone. So that's really important to me. So I just wanted to hop on today and say hello for February and update you to what's going on. Links are in the show, notes about the organization and the award and Tom's work, and I have him on the podcast this month talking about it as well. So I'm looking forward to that.

Speaker 1: 11:38

Oh, my goodness, so many great classes are happening, so many new teachers are signing up, all kinds of creative stuff happening. There's just, you know, no end in sight, and that's that's what I want. I want to share as many different ways to be creative as possible, and it's many different people sharing their love for that too. Oh, my goodness, I hope it inspires you to do something that you have on your heart and share with me what you're doing. I would love to celebrate you and you know this podcast and platform is also available to you know, discuss with me what you're wanting to do. Let's just talk about it.

Speaker 1: 12:23

I'm willing to have, you know, guests on um that are listening in and want to, you know, dive deeper into, like, how this is happening for you and how do you see it evolving with your dreams. I get asked that a lot and, um, I was just on a group chat yesterday and the leadership of that chat were like, we're going to have you on as a guest and she's alluded to that before and I'm like, okay, okay, but I think she's serious. So I'm excited about sharing just really what I'm doing. I feel like I am flying by the seat of my pants. I really do. It's not. You know, I did have a business plan. I do have a business plan. I have things written out, but really it is all from my heart and I think that's where you need to start. So have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for listening in and remember you are brutally made and I celebrate you every day in every endeavor that you are seeking to do. So take care and I will talk to you next time. Bye-bye.