Cards By Kids was started in 2021 by four brothers in San Diego with their Grandmother, Susan Alexander Shipman, of the Vineyards. Their dream was to use what they have been learning in their art lessons with their “Grammie” in order to create noteable notecards for others to enjoy. We all know the delight a special handwritten note can bring, especially these days.
When Covid first hit in March, 2020, the boys and their Grammie were heartbroken that they could not see each other in person, and looked for other ways to connect. William (11), James (9), Charlie (7), and Henry (3) began taking weekly, individual art lessons with their artist Grandmother over FaceTime on their iPads.
They started with basic drawing lessons and are now including watercolor and acrylic painting. The boys are each guided by their own inspirations of every day. They pray together, talk about God, exchange views of their gardens and skies, and sometimes meet other artists at Susan’s studio/gallery on Shirley Street. Occasionally they take “field trips” together on their iPads and learn from other artists in Artisan’s Plaza, where Susan’s studio is located. One day, Charlie “visited” a martial arts studio across the street. Sometimes they have come along virtually with their Grammie to deliver homemade brownies to welcome and “meet” her new neighbors in the Vineyards. Always mixed in with their art lessons and adventures is chatting and laughing and keeping up with the stories of all their lives during these crazy times.
Susan teaches the boys about famous artists, art history, the importance of knowing how to mix your own colors, and helps guide them as they draw and paint together over the thousands of miles between them. Some of the frequent quizzes in Grammie’s art classes consist of asking the boys questions like: How do you make orange? Purple? Green? What’s the opposite of red? Are you making your own colors? Is your painting water clean? What shapes do you see?? She shares bits and pieces of the wisdom and knowledge from her 50 years of being a professional artist.
During Covid there were no opportunities for kids to earn money at lemonade stands or selling door to door. So Susan and her Grandsons put their heads together and had to think outside the box. A few months into their art lessons, the boys began expressing the desire to share their art with other people and were so proud of the work they produced during their art lessons. They were excited to share their creations with others and wanted to bring others joy from their artwork, but they did not know how to reach more people. Susan mentioned the possibility that the boys could start their own company, and the boys jumped at the idea.
Now, they are learning how to start and run a small business and what is involved with ordering and printing and packaging and meeting their clients’ needs. Choosing a name, designing a logo (James), creating a website and launching it to the public (William), were just a few of the early projects that the team worked together in order to accomplish.
One of their latest orders is for 150 invitations for a family reunion in Minnesota. The boys did colored pencil drawings with a scene on the front and learned about designing a postcard.
Thrilled and challenged by starting their own new business, they work long hours and have many extra Facetimes, calls, and meetings in order to get the company up and running and keep up with new orders and business and artistic ideas.
Each business meeting is started with a special prayer that was taught to Susan by a Vineyards friend, Myra Daniels, who always prayed it for all the businesses she ran in her life.
Susan and her precious grandsons have the hope of sharing their art with many people across the country. They want to inspire others by their passion for art and the belief that you are never too young or old to make a difference. They encourage other families to use their example to connect with their far away loved ones in new and creative ways.
The family hopes you will visit http://www.cardsbykids.net to support their business and to help them achieve their dream of reaching as many people as they can with their cards and spreading joy with each one.
You can also see a display of their cards at Susan Alexander Shipman Studio/Gallery in the Naples Art District at 5760 Shirley Street Suite #4.
Cardsbykids.net
susanshipman.com
Cardsbykids.net 