About Anna and Me ...
My name is Colleen. I'm an accomplished artist who attended Parson's School of Design and who has been in the business of creativity since 1989.
Anna is the cherub I worked with for three years and Anna has autism. She is a bright, beautiful, affectionate child with loads of personality, exuberance and spunk … plus a playful, engaging sense of humor. In order to experience the fullness of these special qualities, you may need to get to know Anna first, with an open heart.
When first I met Anna, I was at a challenging point in life and she helped change that. Anna gave me an important mission in life, a purpose. A mission is a pretty amazing thing. A mission changes everything.
And in knowing Anna, my life was changed forever.
Although I'll never know for sure, I believe autism is a challenging world in which to live. Imagine having thoughts and feelings and needs but not innately knowing how to communicate these things to others ... not understanding how to interact with the rest of the world. It may feel overwhelming and you may yearn to shut down and withdraw.
But little Anna has courage. She listens and learns and allows me to help her do what she needs to do in order to coexist with this complex world ... to participate in it … and even contribute to it. She has this bright, shining light hidden inside which, when you know her, is impossible to ignore.
Her family is the most supportive and loving of people and they would go to the ends of the earth for Anna. And they do just that, each and every day.
So what is my mission, you ask? My mission is to help Anna, to facilitate understanding in those around her so that others can relate and engage and interact with her … and in so doing, to help other children who also live in this mysterious world called autism.
Autism appears to block communication but with love and understanding, a pathway opens up and the hidden gifts these children have to share come shining through with such beauty.
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20% of the profits from the sale of my jewelry will go to programs which promote understanding and interaction for children with autism.
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Please don't hesitate to get in touch whether for a custom order or just to comment. I'm always interested in hearing your thoughts and suggestions!
