Press Releases

2002 Easter Seals Artists

Easter Seals have been distributed for more than 60 years, and continue to be the foundation of Easter Seals' direct mail fundraising program. View this year's seals, and meet the artists who designed them.

	Billie Sprouse Billie Sprouse lives in Madill, Okla., where she has raised her four children with her husband. Sprouse says her family has brought her true love and happiness, and she has learned from all of her children. Sprouse's son Marcus, a delightful and hard working child, has developmental apraxia of speech. He started kindergarten this year, and continues to amaze people with his persistence and personality. The Sprouse family lives in an area of Oklahoma where support services are not offered beyond the public school system. For two and a half years, Sprouse and her son drove 100 miles for speech services several times a week. Sprouse credits Linda Laird, her first art teacher, with the encouragement that initiated her passion for art. Her most recent art instruction has been through Murray State College in Tishomingo, Okla. She extends her thanks to her instructors, and Catherine Kinyon for providing great inspiration and teaching wonderful courses. Sprouse says she is honored to have her lily chosen for Easter Seals' 2002 seal series. "It feels wonderful to give to an organization that gives so much to so many." She plans to earn an associate's degree in art this coming spring and then begin work on a bachelor's of fine art degree.
	Brenda Brannon Brenda Brannon resides in Hermitage, Tenn., outside Nashville with Paul, her musician husband of 22 years, and their two cats. "I've had an interest in art since childhood, and my senior high school yearbook lists my ambition as commercial artist," Brannon said. But her career detoured first into accounting, then into the entertainment business, spending nearly eight seasons as a singer/dancer at Opryland, USA. In July 1998 Brenda attended a time management seminar that changed the direction of her life. "After asking myself a few key questions, I discovered that what I still wanted most in life was to be an artist," she said, "so I enrolled at Nossi College of Art in Goodlettsville, Tenn., in the fall of 1998 and completed my associate degree of occupational studies in commercial art in December 2000." Instructors at Nossi College of Art honored Brannon with a "Most Talented" award and the "Talent Discovery" award. She also studied with watercolor artist Gail McDaniel. Brannon also is a photographer. "The process for my painting started with taking reference slides of lilies at Cheekwood Botantical Garden in Nashville," Brenda said. Her photography has been published in The Best of College Photography Annual 2000, The Best of Photography Annual 2000, and The Best of Photography Annual 2001 published by Photographer's Forum/Serbin Communications. She currently is continuing her photography education at Nashville State Technical Institute. "Having my work chosen for the 2002 Easter Seals campaign is such a thrill and an honor for me as an artist," Brannon said.
	Enrique Reyes (not pictured)
	Ingrid Neuhofer Dohm Ingrid Neuhofer Dohm, born and raised in Austria, has been active in the Rockford, Ill., area exhibiting, conducting workshops, and as an artist in residence for the Rockford Public Schools and curator for the Rockford YWCA. She returns to Austria periodically for art shows and workshops. Dohm paints in representational and impressionistic style. Using watercolors and acrylics, she takes her cues from nature, hoping to bring out its myriad shapes, forms and colors. Dohm says if she can lend her own interpretation to it, then she is satisfied. She has a long list of awards as well as private and corporate collections, and is married with three children.
	Jessica Martin Jessica Martin is a recent graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute, where she majored in illustration and art history. She has been featured in CMYK magazine and recently illustrated the poster for Kansas City's American Royal Barbeque. Martin plans to pursue her art career in Los Angeles.
	Walter Anderson (not pictured)