Sarasota Arts & Culture Magazine - September/October 2007 - (Page 35)

: : Artist Profile of note cards, greeting cards and prints that began just three years ago with business partner Karen Coplan. “I always loved making faces since I was a little girl,” she says. The love manifested itself in both paintings and collages, like the “Paper Bling” collection of jewelry faces. “I cut out all the jewels I loved in Town & Country Magazine. People think it’s my jewelry but I say, ‘No, I borrowed it from Harry Winston!’” she laughs. “It’s like painting with paper,” Coplan says of Mishner’s collages. Both women moved to Florida just a few years ago and never looked back. Mishner arrived in Sarasota’s tropical paradise merrily making her faces, a collection of cards that transformed itself into a business when 23 people on a friend’s birthday party bus wanted to order her creations. “I began printing them at Serban Printing,” she says. “They are the best printer in Sarasota. My first mentor was Robin Clark, who explained that I needed to print my cards in themes.” Thus, Fabulous Faces matured into its now series of five: Ladies Night Out, Delightfully Different, Women of Colors, Divas by Design and Women’s Work. The line consists of 50 greeting cards, 25 blank note cards and the 11x14 prints out of which the cards are created. Each has a story that correlates to the image, an expression based on observation of other people. “I think that’s why people relate to them so much,” Coplan says. “People see themselves, or a friend, in the story.” The duo are characters themselves. “We laugh a lot,” they say, giggling when asked what their secret is. The self-entertainers are the perfect complement for one another, with Mishner drumming up ideas and Coplan molding them into perfection. Creativity is sculpted out of the ordinary with these two, even a misspoken word. “Karen said something about a memo pad and I thought for a minute she said “meno” pad,” Mishner says. “Then I thought, there’s an idea!” The Meno Pad is a nifty little accessory for women on the go, in sizes mini, maxi, extra long and purse size. “It’s a double entendre,” they chuckle. “That’s where Karen is so influential,” Mishner adds. “She can zoom in on a story and polish it perfectly.” Now fully engulfed in the artistry, the pair finds philanthropy to be one of the most important aspects of the business. They have been asked numerous times to submit artwork for charitable auction, for organizations like Women’s Resource Center, the YMCA, Pines of Sarasota, Planned Parenthood, Southeastern Guide Dogs and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. For two years, the Susan G. Komen Foundation used one of Mishner’s designs for fundraising note cards. Just a few years ago, their ‘Hot Flashy and Proud of It’ line became the unsolicited promotion coupled with Menopause the Musical, thanks to Asolo Gift Shop Director Natalie Gundrum. “Now that was the right demographic!” Mishner laughs. But while both agree benevolence is vital, a business has to stand on two feet. Thus, the first step has been a maturing website, and soon, entering the gicleé market. “People will argue art is not used the way it’s supposed to be used with gicleés, but then again, that is art—it’s subjective when it’s made, subjective how it’s viewed and subjective how it’s used,” Mishner says, beginning to laugh. “I would love to talk philosophy of art, but that’s a whole different topic!” To see more of Janet Mishner’s work online, please visit www.fabulousfacesonline.com Inspirational Cards arts and culture magazine : : 35 http://www.fabulousfacesonline.com

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Sarasota Arts & Culture Magazine - September/October 2007

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