Social Enterprise and Opportunity for Adults Living with Disabilities
They say inspiration comes from somewhere outside ourselves and, as the original Latin word inspirare suggests, “breathes life into” us.
Well I guess that the parking lot of our local grocery store qualifies as “somewhere outside myself” and the idea that was inspired there has certainly breathed new life into me.
My name is Jim Weidert. I’m a 55 year-old Fine Artist, Entrepreneur, Product Developer, Marketer, and Designer with almost thirty years solving Marketing problems for Fortune 500 companies and my own business start-ups. My 24 year-old son Henry has special needs. At least that’s what I used to think. Now I know better.
When Henry was a Sophomore in High School, his art teacher sent one of his drawings into a statewide art competition, and guess what. He won! Ever since Henry was very young his Mom Linda and I knew he had a gift. We have constantly been amazed at his creativity whether it be art, music or simply his take on life. This we thought was just another example of that gift. Turns out it was much more.
It was a few days after Henry accepted his art award that we were loading our weekly purchase of groceries into the family van. Our youngest son noticed a disabilities parking sign in the stall next to us. He shouted from the back seat, “Dad, is this the place where people with possibilities park?”
The idea of POSS-ABILITIES was brilliant. Henry’s not a guy with disabilities, He’s an adult with a ton of creative possibilities. And we know a whole community of people just like him who could grow and become more independent because of their gift.
That was the moment that IntoWishin’ Arts was born.
IntoWishin’ Arts is a brand new art and design publishing company. Our goal is to support as many adults living with disabilities as we can. It's kind of like how Special Olympics supports disabled athletes except this is to support disabled people who are creatively inclined, or maybe even have yet to discover their creativity.
IntoWishin’ Arts partners with non-profit workshops for adults with disabilities all across the country. From those workshops we will generate hundreds of designs, paintings and poems that we will turn into products like T-shirts, home goods, greeting cards, and decorative Art that we’ll sell on our online stores.
We’re doing this so that disabled adults with "possabilities" can earn an income through their creativity.
Each of our artists will receive royalties on products sold featuring their work. We’ll also give a portion of our proceeds to nonprofits that provide creative opportunities to adults with disabilities.
We know that there are thousands of creative adults in the world just like Henry who could be gaining some independence and earning some income with their abilities and talents. These are the people we want to find and help.
We’re just getting started! You can play an important part too!
Well I guess that the parking lot of our local grocery store qualifies as “somewhere outside myself” and the idea that was inspired there has certainly breathed new life into me.
My name is Jim Weidert. I’m a 55 year-old Fine Artist, Entrepreneur, Product Developer, Marketer, and Designer with almost thirty years solving Marketing problems for Fortune 500 companies and my own business start-ups. My 24 year-old son Henry has special needs. At least that’s what I used to think. Now I know better.
When Henry was a Sophomore in High School, his art teacher sent one of his drawings into a statewide art competition, and guess what. He won! Ever since Henry was very young his Mom Linda and I knew he had a gift. We have constantly been amazed at his creativity whether it be art, music or simply his take on life. This we thought was just another example of that gift. Turns out it was much more.
It was a few days after Henry accepted his art award that we were loading our weekly purchase of groceries into the family van. Our youngest son noticed a disabilities parking sign in the stall next to us. He shouted from the back seat, “Dad, is this the place where people with possibilities park?”
The idea of POSS-ABILITIES was brilliant. Henry’s not a guy with disabilities, He’s an adult with a ton of creative possibilities. And we know a whole community of people just like him who could grow and become more independent because of their gift.
That was the moment that IntoWishin’ Arts was born.
IntoWishin’ Arts is a brand new art and design publishing company. Our goal is to support as many adults living with disabilities as we can. It's kind of like how Special Olympics supports disabled athletes except this is to support disabled people who are creatively inclined, or maybe even have yet to discover their creativity.
IntoWishin’ Arts partners with non-profit workshops for adults with disabilities all across the country. From those workshops we will generate hundreds of designs, paintings and poems that we will turn into products like T-shirts, home goods, greeting cards, and decorative Art that we’ll sell on our online stores.
We’re doing this so that disabled adults with "possabilities" can earn an income through their creativity.
Each of our artists will receive royalties on products sold featuring their work. We’ll also give a portion of our proceeds to nonprofits that provide creative opportunities to adults with disabilities.
We know that there are thousands of creative adults in the world just like Henry who could be gaining some independence and earning some income with their abilities and talents. These are the people we want to find and help.
We’re just getting started! You can play an important part too!