Messages from an Entrepreneur
Sharing Her Heart Through Art
November 7, 2008
By Molly Dilks
Sandra Magsamen creates her Messages from the Heart in a Glen Arm-based farm/workshop.
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To walk a mile in someone else’s shoes is to view life from that individual’s unique perspective. A stroll in the shoes of Sandra Magsamen — lifelong resident of the Baltimore suburb of Glen Arm — reveals a special place where even the smallest of moments get the recognition they deserve.
Magsamen instills eagerness into everyday tasks as she balances being a loving mother and multi-million-dollar entrepreneur. Accomplishments in her world stem from one of her favorite sayings: “The more I think, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” (Vincent Van Gogh)
Quotes similar to this one, carefully painted by Magsamen onto plaques surrounded by colorful beads and ribbons, are available in boutiques across the country. Such pieces of art – not only plaques, but also home décor, stationery, bedding, accessories and other items collected under the heading “Messages from the Heart” – represent a brand, a mission and a woman.
As Valerie Sanson, a long-time friend of Magsamen’s and owner of the boutique Lane Sanson, explains, “Sandra has always been the same person; someone who is extremely approachable, who has a flair for entertaining, who makes everyone feel welcome. She’s always believed in spreading love and joy through art.”
Magsamen, who majored in Art Therapy at Goucher College and eventually received a master’s degree in Expressive Art Therapy, started her career helping people with Alzheimer’s, as well as patients diagnosed as criminally insane or clinically depressed. “We all want to connect,” Magsamen says. “When we can’t express ourselves, we feel isolated and it only gets worse with time.”
To drive her point home, she refers to another favorite saying used on her artwork — one loosely based on a Helen Keller quote: “Alone we can do so much, but together we can do so much more.”
During her pregnancy with daughter Hannah, Magsamen found a unique outlet for her training and philosophies: creating pieces of art for her soon-to-be baby girl.
Interestingly enough, when friends came for a visit, Magsamen’s beautiful newborn wasn’t the only thing being coddled. Everyone wanted her artwork for themselves or as gifts. Magsamen laughs, “I loved seeing how happy people were when they gave them. It really satisfied what they needed to say in their heart.”
Heartwarming, quirky and truly original — not to mention affordable — Magsamen’s creations were a quick success. She began a home-based business, Table Tiles, Inc., in 1991 and made the rounds of weekend craft shows. But soon her pieces were in such high demand, she couldn’t keep them in stock.
Magsamen never let the stress get to her. “If you believe in your dream, and are positive, and take the steps to achieve it, there’s really nothing you can’t do. You know that quote by Henry Ford? ‘Whether you think that you can or that you can’t, you are usually right.’ Well, I always think I can!”
With her business growing relentlessly, Magsamen rented a Glen Arm-based farm in the early ’90s and hired 15 employees. Still, that wasn’t enough. So, in 1994, she began to license her work through Mixed Media Group, a Manhattan-based company.
These days, you can find Magsamen’s collections at specialty stores across the country and at national stores including JCPenney, Macy’s, Boscovs and Wal-Mart. The quotes she uses range from witty — “Good friends are like bras, supportive, never leave you hanging, make you look good and are always close to your heart” — to inspirational — “The three most important things in life are 1 to be kind, 2 to be kind, and 3 to be kind.”
Her newest addition, Messages from the Heart BABY, debuted in January 2008 at JCPenney with a boutique that houses gifts, apparel, plush toys, bedding, bath items and bibs.
Valerie Sanson, who has been selling Magsamen’s art for more than 15 years, believes she knows the reason why Messages From the Heart sell so well. “It comes from a homegrown spirit,” Sanson says. “It’s not complicated, it’s not high-brow, it just touches everyone.”
“Her work is so spirited,” Sanson adds, “and when people purchase it as a gift for others, they feel like they’ve had a part in creating it themselves. It’s their gift to give.”
That’s not something that happens by accident. “These are ‘Messages from the Heart,’ not ‘Sandra’s Messages from the Heart,’” notes Magsamen. “They are universal.”
Magsamen has coined the phrase “living artfully,” which means “expressing who you are through the moments that you create. It reminds us to explore and experience life with more heart, meaning, purpose and joy.”
Living artfully is something Magsamen achieves every single day through her art, and also through her family.
Daughter Hannah is fluent in several languages and has the desire to work with non-profit organizations worldwide. Husband Mark Barry is also an artist (in fact, Magsamen fell in love with Barry’s paintings before she fell in love with the painter!). It is clearly a family mission to spread the movement of living artfully — Messages from the Heart definitely plays a part.
“I love what I’m doing,” Magsamen says. “I’m happy and hopeful in terms of the work that I do.”
As if Magsamen didn’t already have a full plate, she tops it off with being an author (she has published 28 books for children and adults alike), growing her own herb garden, cooking and taking care of a cat, two dogs and a bunny — and she still finds time to walk five miles a day.
So, maybe we shouldn’t walk a mile in someone else’s shoes; maybe we should walk five miles, or even more. If there is one thing that can be learned from Sandra Magsamen, it’s that learning should never cease, being kind should always be a priority and dreams are never to be abandoned.
“Sometimes things fail, but I just keep going,” Magsamen says. “That’s the secret for me.”
MAGSAMEN’S MESSAGE TO YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS
Sandra Magsamen says starting a business venture like Messages from the Heart is all about “perseverance and hard work.” She also espouses these five points:
- DREAM IT. “Be yourself. It has to be authentic and original.”
- DEVELOP THE IDEA. “People are missing this step all the time and it’s really an important one.”
- SHARE WHAT YOU DO. “Don’t be afraid to get the idea out there. If you don’t, there is no way you can accomplish that dream.”
- LISTEN TO FEEDBACK. “Find out what people love about it, what they don’t love about it; take that into consideration.”
- ENHANCE THE IDEA. “Tweak it constantly. It’s an ongoing process.”
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