Face to Face Celebrates ACC in Charity Art Event

Employees of Face to Face for Wellness & Beauty spent months planning the charity art event benefitting ACC. Pictured, from left: Owner Lori Froemke, Stylists Katharine Heitman and Kelli Schultz. Not pictured: Sales and Service Coordinators Mindy Smith, Marlys Sjostrom and Alexis Zachrison.

A Jamestown business has discovered a creative and colorful way to bring holiday cheer to the Anne Carlsen Center (ACC).

The owner of Face to Face for Wellness & Beauty wanted to spruce up the walls of the salon, which opened last year at 607 13th St. N.E., and dreamed up the idea of a charity art contest.

“We wanted to help an organization in the community, and the Anne Carlsen Center immediately came to mind,” said Lori Froemke, the owner of Face to Face. “A lot of our clients are employed at the Center. They are such positive people … so caring. You can tell they love their jobs. Even during the flood, they put the individuals they serve first. That really touched my heart.”

Beginning in October, the salon invited people to submit their photographs, paintings, sculptures, and other artwork in the contest. The pieces were displayed at the salon, and voted on by community members, until December 10. That evening, Face to Face hosted a holiday party, during which attendees could participate in a silent auction and bid on their favorite works of art. The money raised, nearly $370.00, went to the Anne Carlsen Center.

“We had heard about the Center’s Accessing the Artist Within program,” said Froemke. “We appreciate what the Center is doing to make art accessible to people of all abilities. We really recognize the importance of that. A child may not be able to talk … or see … but he or she can be a great artist, given the right tools.”

Accessing the Artist Within is an artistic endeavor created by Mark Coppin, ACC’s Assistive Technology Director. The idea behind the project is to showcase how assistive technologies and adaptive equipment empower individuals with disabilities to explore the artist within. Clients of ACC, along with individuals across the country, have shared their artistic talents through this project.

“I just moved here from Columbus, Ohio,” said Katharine Heitman, a Face to Face stylist and one of the organizers of the art contest. “I didn’t know an organization like the Anne Carlsen Center existed until I came to Jamestown. The level of care and expertise is outstanding.”

Dan Kunzman, the ACC Foundation Executive Director, and Deb Backer of Jamestown hold artwork created by Backer’s daughter, Brandi Kastet of Bismarck. Kastet’s horse-themed photo art on canvas received 1st place in Face to Face’s charity art contest benefitting ACC.

Heitman said the salon was pleased by the number of works submitted, the number of people who turned out to vote, and the attendance at the December 10 event. The works of art, which were taken home by those with winning bids, included a colored pencil drawing by 13-year-old Mikka Prosser.

“I really wanted to help raise money for the Anne Carlsen Center,” said Prosser, who contributed a favorite drawing from her sketchbook.

The winner of the art contest was 23-year-old Brandi Kastet, formerly of Montpelier. The Jamestown College graduate, now living in Bismarck, had submitted horse-themed photo art on canvas.

Kastet, along with the second- and third-place artists, received prizes from the salon. Also announced on December 10 were the winners, from amongst those who participated in the voting, of Face to Face’s “Day of Wellness and Beauty.”

“We are extremely grateful for the hard work, creativity and generosity of the Face to Face staff,” said Dan Kunzman, the executive director of the ACC Foundation. “Many people participated in this event and helped make it a success. Thank you for making a meaningful difference in the lives of the individuals we have the pleasure of serving.”

Face to Face employees say they look forward to holding the charity art contest next year and have hopes to see this labor of love continue to enrich the lives of the students and clients of the Anne Carlsen Center. To learn more about the Center and the Accessing the Artist Within project, visit www.annecenter.org