IntoWishin’ is the Art of Poss-abilities for those with disabilities

Arts start-up IntoWishin’ Arts helps adults with different abilities earn greater independence through their creativity.

Giving artists with “disabilities” the opportunity to explore their creative “poss-abilities”

Wisconsin-based IntoWishin’ Arts is a brand new art publishing company with a goal of supporting adults with disabilities in creative workshop settings to make art and other creative things. IntoWishin’ Arts selects original art to develop into products to sell them on ouronline stores so that adult artists with "possabilities" can earn income through their creativity.

The concept of IntoWishin’ Arts started with a WORK OF ART, an EVENT, and a SIGN!

Jim Weidert’s 22 year-old son Henry was born with Cerebral Palsy. When he was a Sophomore in high school, his art teacher sent a WORK OF ART into a statewide art competition. It was this portrait of his dog Maizy, and he won first place! Henry went on to create lots of other pretty cool artwork in high school too! All the way up until he graduated.

That’s the EVENT we are talking about. It was right about that time that Henry and his parents figured out that the job world is MUCH different from school for people like Henry. It’s better than than it was decades ago, but the jobs offered to Henry and his friends with abilities like his were less than imaginative. That’s when the Weiderts were given a SIGN!

The family drove by a fairly common disabilities parking sign one day at their local grocery store and their five-year-old son, Henry’s brother, shouted from the back seat…“Dad, is this the place where people with possibilities park?”

“POSS-ABILITIES”    …and yes, they purposely spelled it that way. That was the BIG IDEA that pulled the spirit of IntoWishin’ Arts all together.

They believe every human being is a broad spectrum of possABILITIES. The company is all about viewing people for what they are capable of, naturally and joyfully, and then joining their possABILITIES together to great a stronger community.

Source: Indigogo/IntoWishinArts

“Why us, why me, & why now?”

In his own words, Henry’s Dad Jim Weidert describes the project:

‘I am a father of a 22 year-old son with disabilities, so I intimately know the need for more creative career solutions that lead to independence for adults with disabilities. Integration into the community and work training programs for adults with disabilities have come a long way in my lifetime, but I think we can do better. I believe we are on the verge of a disruption in the public paradigm of how much people with disabilities can contribute to the goodness of our world. 

The current rate of full-time employment for people with disabilities nationally is around 33%, so this population needs innovative ideas, and investment.My professional career spans three decades starting in advertising graphic design, package and retail design, and into product development. In this capacity, I worked with dozens of clients in the Fortune 500 and top 100 CPG’s in the United States to create effective packaging, point of sale solutions, and products.

I want to use my experience and talents to go beyond helping corporations, to help some very special people discover, and find success in their creative abilities. My combined graphic design, marketing, sales and business leadership skill set and experiences have prepared me to lead this project.

We know that there are thousands more artists out there in the world just like my son who could be gaining independence and making a living from their creative abilities and talents. These are the people we want to find and help with IntoWishin’ Arts.’ — Jim Weidert

Source: Indigogo/IntoWishin

IntoWishin — turning creativity into greater independence

‘OUR MISSION: To give people living with disabilities the opportunity to practice and explore their creative "possabilities" and increase personal independence through the arts.

OUR CORE VALUES: Kindness, empathy, acceptance, respect, fun, hard work, and oh yeah… spontaneity!

OUR FOUNDING BELIEF: We believe all people are created equal, and every human being is a broad spectrum of socially valuable abilities. By practicing ​the arts, we know amazing possabilities will be discovered, and more beauty will be brought into our world.’

To find out more about IntoWishin Arts, check them out on their Facebook page, their website, and if you want to become involved, see the link at the bottom of this article.

Source: Intowishinarts.com