Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Linda Waidelich. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Linda , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My mission is to create art whatever way I can to express  my journey and experiences on canvas to remind us all that everything in this world we live in is connected. Spirits exist in everything and everything is connected in some ways l. I try to take all of that into account when I’m applying my paint to my canvas. There is so much beauty to be seen and heard from everything we touch, see, and hear. We just need to listen and open our hearts to the gifts He has given to us all.

Linda , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi everyone! My name is Linda Waidelich and I am a professional Michigan artist. A little background on myself, I started drawing when I was 6 years old by sketching the cartoons out of the Sunday funnies. I went to Kellogg Community college for commercial art but I did not graduate. But passion for art and writing poetry has remained a constant in my life. In my 30’s I had two beautiful daughters and put my art on the back burner. When they left for college, I picked up the brushes and started painting again to process my life changes going through the ‘empty nest’ syndrome that all parents go through.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I firmly believe what sets me apart from other artists is that I use my own personal experiences and (I hate to say it but tragedies) as well to express my journey in this life on canvas. In January of 2000; I was diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic dystrophy( RSD) in both of my arms. For almost two years, I literally could not use my arms nor could my girls touch my arms. The diagnosis was a hard thing to swallow knowing that their is no cure and that type that I have will spread to my other limbs. Painting has always been my way of expressing what I could not say onto canvas. It has definitely been a challenge these past few years to paint but my passion to create has been greater than the obstacle. In 2019, I was injured at my part time job which the RSD spread into my right hand making it extremely difficult these days to hold a paintbrush for no more than 20 minutes. It has slowed my painting down quite a bit but with Gods grace I am learning to express myself through finger painting and only using minimum tools.

What I hope that potential customers take away from my art and this article, is that no matter what obstacles life throws your way, God will always show us a way to use the gifts that He has given us. I believe this to be my greatest resilience to be able to create without the conventional ways that most people think artists use.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

One of my favorite marketing stories is about a painting I created several years ago and I was knew to the whole Instagram format. The painting is one of 4 Native American women standing out in a field with the wind blowing fall leaves. The painting along with the Native America prayer connected with so many people. I had so many women message me how much they related to it from their own experiences. It constantly amazes me how one piece could affect and touch so many people.

I believe in a world filled with so much chaos and negativity that we should use the gifts we have been given to give hope to the world despite the tragedies we are experiencing in this world. The fact that someone out there can connect to my art and words still amazes me.. it’s in those moments that I’m grateful for the gifts that I have received and experience His grace in my own life.

Thank you all for following my art and reading this article… it is my hope that it will give someone hope and peace.

Contact Info:

• Website: linda-waidelich.pixels.com
• Instagram: l_waidelich_art