Reader Feature: Adelyn’s Art for Good

While I haven’t had the opportunity to meet today’s superstar in person, her lovely mother, Anna, is a reader and long-time friend. In fact, we’ve known each other since we were babies — and I’m pretty sure I’ve looked up to her since about that time too. Almost every story of the years we lived in Denver includes her family, and many of my fond memories do too. While our paths haven’t crossed too many times since then, I’ve been blessed to have her father (one of my dad’s life-long friends) in my life again recently since he was living in California through much of my dad’s illness. They’re a family of gems, if you ask me. And Adelyn’s story is proof of that. My friends, meet a little girl whose art is not only gracing museum walls, but is helping babies in the NICU. Yes, really.

How old are you, Adelyn?
I just turned 8 years old the day after Christmas.

And how old were you when you fell in love with art?
2 years old. My mom used to set up an easel for me and instead of painting on paper, I would paint my whole body as an abstract painting. My mom then decided to put me into art classes!

What is your favorite form of art to create?
I really like to draw with art chalk. Drawing is my favorite. My favorite drawing I have done is of a horse.

What inspired you to turn your hobby into a business/not-for-profit corporation?
One day, on my way home from art class, there was a homeless man on the street corner.  I asked my mom to stop the car so I could give him the drawing I had just finished because he looked sad and I thought my art would make him feel happy. [It was the drawing of the fox that is hanging in the art museum now]. My mom told me that was a nice idea I had and that we would figure out a way to use my art to help people. I decided that I wanted to use my art to help other kids. I chose the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit because I want to help sick babies and babies who are born too early. I had a hard time when I was born and had to be in the NICU too.

What do you sell and how can people buy your work?
Right now, I sell stationary cards with my art on them. I am also going to start selling canvas bags that display my art. I have a new website. It is www.artbyadelyn.com. People can buy my products there. I also sell my stationary cards in some stores in Denver and at The Denver Art Museum (and on their website). People can also visit my Facebook page (Art by Adelyn) and send me a message if they want to buy my product.

How did The Denver Museum of Art discover you, and how did it feel to know they wanted to feature your work?
The newspaper wrote an article about me and my company. Some people at The Denver Art Museum read it and then sent me and my Mom a message asking if they could meet me. We went to meet them and they were really nice to me. They asked if they could sell my stationary cards in their gift shop. I said “sure.” Then, they asked me if they could buy my art or sell my art. I said, “No” because I want to keep my original art for now. When they told me they would just borrow my art to hang in the museum, I said, “Ok.” I went to see my display with my family and felt excited and proud. My art is colorful so it looks nice in the museum.

Is there anything else you want people to know about you?
I love animals, especially dogs and horses. I also like to play lacrosse (I am on a LAX team). I like to go camping in the pretty mountains in Colorado. I like gymnastics. I like to sing and play the piano. And I like doing the monkey bars a lot and playing with my sister and friends. I also like learning other languages. I take Russian and Spanish. I also like to knit, and learned how when I was 6 years old. I hope I can keep using my artwork to help babies. I would also like to teach art classes to other kids someday!