Detroit Jewish News written by Allan Nahajewski
Maxine Gardner of Huntington Woods is reading a book about metamorphosis – how before becoming a butterfly, a caterpillar dissolves into gooey liquid inside the cocoon. She can relate.
In 1994, her husband died at 41 of an aneurysm. Her two sons, then 9 and 12, became her total focus.
Flash forward to today. The butterfly has emerged. A woman who could not color within the lines has become a successful artist, teacher, volunteer and entrepreneur. Last year she launched Artful Vision – a boutique style website enabling gift shoppers to buy American-made arts and crafts and to choose a charity to receive a portion of the profits.
She also finds time to volunteer at Mariners Inn, a homeless shelter and rehab facility in Detroit, where she provides art therapy. She will be honored as the organization’s Volunteer of the Year in November at the Roostertail in Detroit.
This is the story of her journey.
“I didn’t discover I was an artist until I was 46,” she says. “I knew I was creative, but I couldn’t draw a straight line, so I didn’t think I was artistic. But I never gave up. I was always trying one thing after another.”
In 2000, she discovered mosaics. “I took old bowling balls and covered them with iridescent stained glass, turning them into gazing balls that didn’t blow away”, she said. In 2001, her bowling ball mosaics were featured on HGTV.
“I loved the art fairs,” she says. “I loved traveling and connecting with customers and artists. But I herniated a disc in my back. For four months, I couldn’t travel. I lost all my booth fees. I had to find another way to create art and make a living.
My mother-in-law said, “You really ought to be selling your photography”. Around that time, a friend opened a gallery. I started showing in the gallery and the response was so significant that I wanted to go bigger. I didn’t want to go on the road again. How else do I do this? It’s got to be the Internet.”
That’s when the seeds were planted for Artful Vision.
“The original idea was just to display and sell my work, partnering with non-profits. But six months later gas jumped to $4 a gallon. My artist friends on the road were struggling. That got me thinking: If my idea is a good one, maybe I should go bigger.
Launched last August, Artful Vision now features the work of 90 artists, one third from Michigan and all from the United States. When making a purchase, customers choose among the non-profits to donate a portion of the proceeds. Recently, a woman in Alaska bought children’s dress-up clothes on the website from an artist in Colorado and chose to channel her donation to the Troy (Michigan) Nature Society.
Artful Vision keeps Maxine busy, but she carves out time to teach at the Mariners Inn.
“I love being with these men and sharing my love of transformation,” she says. “By taking things no longer useful and transforming them into something beautiful, the men become transformed. They no longer see themselves as homeless or former addicts, but begin to see the creativity within them.
She sums up her own transformation this way: “It took a lot of time to discover who I am. But now I feel radiant with joy because I have evolved into a person I love who is making a difference in the lives of others, helping make dreams come true.”
Note: This reprint is an edited copy of the original longer version of the business and professional section, and sponsored by Best Source Credit Union.
