10/23/2026
❤️ I need to take a moment to highlight this AMAZING woman, Selena M Burk! ❤️
Selena is not only an incredibly talented artist, but she is also an amazing friend, a wonderful person, and such a huge asset to Start With Art. I truly cannot express how thankful I am that God placed her in my life and brought her into this organization!
Selena took the lead on our very first Start with Art Vintage timeline of life Art Show , and let me tell you… she absolutely knocked it out of the park!
From dreaming up the theme, finding donors and sponsors, securing the location, coordinating all the little details, and bringing this entire event to life, Selena poured so much of herself into making this happen. And it showed!
One of my favorite parts of this entire experience was getting to take a step back from being the person leading everything and simply being the person helping someone else bring their vision to life.
I got to work behind the scenes, taking photographs, creating marketing materials, helping with the little details, and doing some of the things I genuinely LOVE doing. And honestly, it was such a wonderful experience to watch Selena’s idea become a reality.
I think sometimes people forget that running a nonprofit isn’t a one-person job. Nor should it ever be.
It takes a TEAM. It takes people with different talents, different strengths, different perspectives, and different ideas coming together for something bigger than themselves.
Being the founder of Start With Art doesn’t mean I have to be the person leading every project or coming up with every idea. In fact, one of the things I am most proud of is watching the people around me step into their strengths, take ownership of something they are passionate about, and absolutely SHINE.
Leadership isn’t always about being the person in the spotlight. Sometimes it’s about making sure someone else has the opportunity to stand in it.
And Selena deserved every bit of that spotlight!
I am incredibly proud of her, and I am equally proud of the amazing team God has brought together at Start With Art.
And I want to make something very clear…
Above all else, I give ALL the glory to God. ❤️
Because when I look at how far Start With Art has come, the people who have walked through our doors, the friendships that have formed, the opportunities that have presented themselves, and the incredible individuals who have stepped up to help, I cannot help but see His hand in it all.
There have been so many moments throughout this journey when I didn’t know how something was going to work out. Moments when the funding wasn’t there, when I was exhausted, when I questioned whether I was doing enough, or when I simply didn’t know what the next step would be.
But God has continued to provide. Sometimes not in the ways I expected, and certainly not always on my timeline, but He has continued to place the right people in the right places at the right times.
I truly believe God gives each of us different gifts and talents for a reason. And those gifts were never meant to be kept to ourselves. They were meant to be shared, to serve others, and to make a difference.
Selena has an incredible gift, and watching her use that gift to bring people together through art has been such a blessing.
At the heart of Start With Art, our mission has always been about more than simply creating art.
It’s about bringing people together. Building relationships. Creating opportunities. Encouraging creativity. Giving people a place to belong. And reminding people that they matter.
Art is woven into nearly everything we see, touch, experience, and do. It tells our stories, preserves our memories, connects generations, and gives us a way to express things that words sometimes cannot.
Art is so much more than something beautiful to look at. It has the ability to connect us, heal us, and remind us of our shared humanity.
And I think that is one of the most beautiful things about what we do.
Selena, thank you for your friendship, your dedication, your creativity, and most importantly, for believing in what we are building together. I am so proud of you, and I cannot wait to see what you dream up next!
To our entire team, thank you for showing up, sharing your gifts, and believing in this mission. I hope every single one of you knows how valuable you are.
This is what collaboration over competition looks like. This is what teamwork looks like. And THIS is what Start With Art is all about. ❤️🎨
I don’t ever want Start With Art to be about one person. I want it to be about a community of people who come together, lift each other up, and use the gifts God has given them to make a difference.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about recognition, titles, or who gets the credit.
It’s about serving others, loving people, and being good stewards of the opportunities God has placed in front of us.
All the glory belongs to Him. Always. ❤️
And tonight, I couldn’t have been prouder to simply be part of the team.
To learn more about us or how to donate please visit:
Indianastartwithart.org
