Sandra Magsamen - Living Artfully: Create the Life You Imagine

rom an early age, Sandra Magsamen painted to express the feelings and ideas she held in her heart. Today, the internationally acclaimed artist and author shares her meaningful messages and motifs through a widely popular range of books, gifts, serveware, stationery, home dcor and tabletop items, greeting cards, and scrapbooking materials, all bearing her signature images and Messages from the Heart . Carrying phrases that affirm and celebrate life, Sandras vibrant and expressive work is collected by and given to people of all ages. Her art and messages have touched millions of people, one heart at a time.

With her unique images and verses, bestselling books, and successful lines of licensed products, Sandra Magsamen has gained a large and loyal audience and is a leader in the message-driven gift industry. Her message plaque sales have topped tens of millions. Her books have sold more than 300,000 copies to date. When I Grow Up I Want to Be Me was called one of the most captivating childrens books Ive ever seen: uplifting ideas and a gorgeous, ingenious pop-up design in O: The Oprah Magazine. During the 20032004 holiday season, the six windows of Saks Fifth Avenues flagship store in New York City featured vibrant vignettes with moving mannequins inspired by images from Sandras book, The Gift .

Sandra began in her kitchen, designing ceramic heart-shaped tokens and plaques to commemorate the varied experiences and inspirations embedded in everyday life. In response to growing demand for her handmade originals, she founded Table Tiles, Inc. in 1991, which, in less than a decade, has expanded into a multimillion-dollar gift business. In 1997, she began licensing her ideas. Today she has designed successful collections with significant licensees including: Creative Imaginations, Department 56, Glitterati, Sunrise Greetings, Lenox, Little Brown, Scholastic, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, and Topsville. Her creations are gift staples at specialty stores, department stores and in catalogs.

She shares her style of Messages from the Heart through her pottery and gifts and, just as important, encourages others to cultivate and embrace their personal style of communicating what is in their hearts. Today, when she speaks about Messages from the Heart , countless people tell her how they have creatively and authentically touched another life.

I was reminded the other day when I got off a plane in Atlanta that people really are gifts, says Sandra. Three children waited at the end of the gate rocking from one foot to the other and craning their necks to scan the arriving crowd. A woman dressed for business was surprised by them singing, We love you Mom, oh yes we do, as she walked through the gate. She cried and smiled, and everyone around them smiled, too. That is a message from the heart.

Sandra earned a bachelors degree in fine arts from the Swain School of Design in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and holds a masters degree in expressive art therapy from Goucher College. She serves as board chairman for the American Visionary Art Museum.

Sandra lives artfully with her family in the Maryland town in which she grew up.

hen I began talking to my friends and colleagues about the idea of Living Artfully , I made and gave a ceramic plaque inscribed with one of my favorite quotes by the anthropologist Margaret Mead. It read, Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world, in fact it is the only thing that ever has.

As the project grew, this quote became the mission for those who joined the journey. Day after day as the book grew from a thought, to an outline, to a proposal, to chapters, to an illustrated four-color book, thoughtful and committed people joined the team. Each person brought an abundance of talent, ideas, imagination, belief, kindness, the ability to impart knowledge, the desire to make a difference, and the hope to share a way of living that honors every life as a work of art.

It is with great pride and gratitude that I have collaborated with so many lovely, wonderful people in the creation of this book. I thank them with all my heart.

I am blessed to have a family who is there through the good times, the bad times, and every time in between. My husband, Mark Barry, and my daughter, Hannah, who enrich every day with endless amounts of art, love, fun, beauty, joy, and laughter.

My Mom, who taught her girls to drink from the glass half full and told us with conviction, you can be anything and everything you want to be, and we believed her. Granny, whose favorite color is still red and even at ninety-eight years young continues to passionately embrace life. My sisters Donna and Lisa, who are always there for me. My sister Karen who is my everything. Thank you for diving headfirst into your creative well this year, learning Photoshop to lay out this book, brainstorming ideas for products, and managing the business of the business. I could not do without you. My twin sister, Susan, whose friendship nurtures and supports me. It is a beautiful thing to have someone in my life who sees and lives in the world through similar eyes and heart. My dad, whom I love.

Billie Holiday got it right when she said, Without friends, I aint got nothing. Thank you, my dear friend Rebecca Hoffberger, whose belief in me is unwavering and who teaches me daily to have faith in the power of the things we cannot see. Rebecca is a living example that love is a mighty force that can move mountains, fund a museum, and make the world a better place. The museum she founded, The American Visionary Arts Museum, inspires the spirit, uplifts and validates the belief that each person is a gift bringing value, beauty, and meaning to the planet. Valerie Sanson, who just gets it, gets me, gets life, and lives it with a passion. Her style, grace, kindness, and je ne sais quoi are a delightful present to all those who meet her.

Trina Storfer and Susan Miller, who started this journey eight years ago as my licensing agents and who have, to my great delight and appreciation, become cherished advisors and trusted friends.

Sandi Mendelson and Richard Heller, who bring an expertise in public relations and law but equally impart an abundance of kindness, guidance, understanding, and belief in me. I cherish them and their commitment to our work.

Richard Pine, literary agent extraordinaire, whose sharp focus of what is important and meaningful has patiently and with good humor guided me through the publishing of this book.

Leslie Meredith, my editor and collaborator at Free Press. From our first meeting Leslie graciously shared herself, her creativity, her ideas, and her love for living an artful life. What a gift it has been for me to have had the opportunity to work and play with Leslie.

Dominick Anfuso and Martha Levin, who from day one got behind this project and generously gave it loving care and attention so that it could grow within Free Press.

Suzanne Donahue, Carisa Hays, Emily Santos, and Jill Siegel, who generously embraced this book and brought their unique talents and selves to this project as they made the most artful and wonderful plans for sales, marketing, publicity, and promotion.

Eric Fuentecilla, Dana Sloan, and Ted Landry, for making the cover and each page and each word beautiful.

Deborah Jensen, for tweaking so many pages of ideas. Thank you for reading my words with your eyes and your heart.

Bill Tonneli, whose ability to listen, excavate, organize, and write helped me to create a proposal that spoke to the heart of Living Artfully .