What happened was — during the (COVID-19) quarantine — we were looking after our grandson and I just wanted the opportunity to do something.Donna Hellman
SPRINGFIELD — Donna Hellman dusted off some of her artistic creations and put them to good use.
Fifteen years ago, colorful visions of “Little Sisters and Me” escaped Hellman’s mind and made their way onto worn-out boards. The copyrighted paintings, intended to reflect how important “lttle sisters in the Lord” are to her, ended up in storage and stayed there until recently when the REALTOR and former art teacher started selling copies for charitable purposes.
Her first benefactor was Second Harvest of the Coastal Empire, which netted $500. This month, she is donating 10 percent of her proceeds to Effingham Strong, whose purpose is to help businesses adversely impacted by COVID-19.
“What happened was — during the (COVID-19) quarantine — we were looking after our grandson and I just wanted the opportunity to do something,” said Hellman, wife of Keith Hellman.
With some help, Hellman developed a website for ordering note cards, prints and tea towels adorned with her “Little Sisters and Me” paintings. Each one has a name, including “Little Bird Girls,” “New Creation,” “Sally Soul,” Tattered Butterfly” and more.
Second Harvest’s donation was generated by a tea towel featuring “New Creations,” a painting inspired by II Corinthians 5:17, which says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
“I’m just so grateful that people bought the tea towels and ‘Little Sisters and Me’ was able to give $500 to Second Harvest,,” Hellman said. “I’m just really grateful to all the kind people out there. It really shocked me.
“I didn’t think that we would be able to give $500.”
“Little Sisters and Me” paintings are works that feature simple brushstrokes that make three female faces with downward-sloping eyes and flowing hair. The eyes are meant to depict humility and the hair symbolizes the ups and downs of life.
To view Hellman’s “Little Sisters and Me” offerings and prices, visit www.littlesistersandme. The site also features contests and encouraging words.
“Where God goes with his is up to Him,” Hellman said.
