Like anyone, Jenny Unrein has her ups and downs. “I like to draw and make people happy,” she says, but “I don’t like people staring.”
Jenny is the 27-year-old artist behind JennyLU Designs, an original art business in Topeka, Kansas, that she co-owns with her step-mother, Wendi Unrein. Born from a desire to help others, the business is doing well, but it’s not easy.
Sure, any business will go through ups and downs, but Jenny is not just any business owner. She has Williams syndrome (WS), a rare genetic disorder related to the absence of several genes in the 7th chromosome. People with WS have developmental delays, health issues, and distinctive facial features, sometimes referred to as “elfin”, thus the frequent staring.
Wendi and Jenny clown around at the JennyLU Designs booth.
Inspiration
“I used to make cards for my mom and for other people to make them feel good,” says Jenny about her life-long love of drawing. Cats and dogs, hearts and flowers are her favorite subjects.
“The thing that caught me was that her drawings were so passionate,” says Wendi, an artist and art teacher. She noted that Jenny rarely draws just to draw: “For her to do art, it has to be for a purpose, for someone else.”
“One day I asked her to draw a picture with a Sharpie, then I colored it in. It was very cute,” says Wendi. That first collaboration grew into a fun activity for them both.
Jenny with the Topeka Easter Seals Capper Foundation program, featuring her original artwork
“One day I was watching Oprah and I saw a girl who had a lemonade stand to help people with cancer, and I wanted to do something to help, too,” says Jenny. So she and Wendi decided to create pictures to donate to fundraiser auctions.
“We took some of the pictures to Jenny’s school and the teachers bought all of them,” Wendi said. “That’s when I realized people would actually pay for Jenny’s pictures.” And JennyLU Designs was born.
That was eight years ago and since then the pair has traveled around the country to conferences and art shows where they sell prints, called “Jennydoodles”, and a variety of other products featuring Jenny’s art, such as note cards, jewelry and calendars. The products are also available on the JennyLU Designs website.
But it’s not always easy for Jenny. She struggles with anxiety, common among people with WS, and it’s often hard to keep her motivated to create new pictures. “Jenny really likes going to the conferences, so when she knows there is one coming up, she stays motivated,” says Wendi.
“We do well at conferences related to disabilities,” says Wendi, giving all the credit to Jenny. One of the most noticeable traits of people with WS is their social, endearing personality. They are very personable, caring, and aware of others’ feelings. “When they see Jenny, they buy,” says Wendi.
And Jenny has become a popular speaker at those conferences, as well, delivering workshops on owning a business and educating others about Williams Syndrome.
Whenever they meet someone with cancer at a show or convention, Jenny and Wendi give that person a Love Life plaque as a show of support.
Art for good
But Jenny has remained true to her original motivation, regularly donating her artwork to a variety of non-profits, both locally and nationally, such as the American Cancer Society. “If I see someone with cancer, I think it’s important to help them. It makes me sad,” says Jenny.
She also creates the cover artwork for the program at the Easter Seals Capper Foundation annual fundraiser in Topeka and donates artwork for the auction. “We donate to a lot of the organizations that help our kids,” says Wendi. In 2015 they also began donating proceeds from card sales to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
People love Jenny’s work so much many have commissioned original works, some from overseas. Her work has also hung in the White House and the Kansas State House.
“My favorite part is seeing people’s reaction to my artwork,” says Jenny. “I love having the business because I’m making a difference.”
Having the business has also made a big difference for Jenny, giving her confidence and purpose. “It doesn’t matter what kind of disability you have,” she says, “you can run a business.”
About me: I am Pete Resler, a dad of two boys with special needs. I created this blog to tell stories of exceptional people, including those with special needs and those who give of themselves to make life better for them. My hope is that these stories expose more people to what’s good in the special needs world and inspire them to give of themselves to make life better for those with special needs.
You can help: I’m always looking for new ideas. If you know someone you think should be featured, shoot me a note at specialopstories@gmail.com.
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