Her work was was born of tragedy. In 2000, a young man was murdered in front of Blessen's house in Dallas, and she was haunted by society's seeming indifference to violence. In 2005, at 53, she launched a nonprofit, using her skills as an artist to advance nonviolence through works of art and arts education.
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Blessen, cofounder Barbara Miller and other volunteers established 29 Pieces, named for 29 large sculptures based on phrases from sacred passages. They developed an art-based, hands-on curriculum for students that promotes compassion, conflict resolution and analytical thinking, and taken it to thousands of students.
Within a few years, Blessen was receiving enough support that she could be paid a small salary and scale back her work as a journalist and illustrator. It's been a rewarding, if nerve-racking, way to earn a living. "There haven't been more than a few days that I didn't worry if we were going to make it," she says.
She has even become a job creator: 29 Pieces now has three part-time employees and numerous paid contractors, many who started as volunteers.
Her advice: Learn the organization's culture so you can see where you fit in. Some nonprofits are relaxed, while others are more corporate, Blessen says. Finding one that fits your style will increase your chances of landing a paid position.