Carol Deach (Anacortes, WA) artist, illustrator and Great Shape! Inc. volunteer with a heart of gold. Early in her career, Carol quickly discovered she had a gift with children, specifically children with Autism. She currently works with both parents and students in their home teaching communication skills focusing on honesty and consistency.

Carol discovered Great Shape! Inc. from another teacher, while volunteering at a science camp. Excited about the humanitarian opportunity, she first traveled to Jamaica in 2014 to serve with Great Shape! Inc.’s SuperKids project. Her first two years she taught art projects connected to life sciences; third year, she taught language arts.

Why are you so passionate about volunteering with Great Shape! Inc.?
“Hope in the world. The students have so much to give to the world and not much of a chance to show it. They exude love in the purist way.”

Carol refers to her artwork as Inspirational Realism. We are so pleased to share her artwork with you! Trying to capture the individual beauty of each child, she initially had the children pose for her while trying to make a quick sketch, but discovered this caused incidents of pushing and shoving and sometimes chaos. She would barely begin with a pose when others would push in “Me, Miss. Me next, Miss!” Instead, she began taking pictures of the students, and later creates a hand-drawn masterpiece.

Why are you so compelled to draw and share the faces of our students? “Leaving the children is so hard and so sad. I feel I can relive the memories and joys with these drawings. I had no idea at the time how healing this experience would for me. I like to choose faces that express a spiritual or playful aspect of their personality.”

Do you have a favorite? “I do not have a favorite all time. Every year I have a new favorite, because it is difficult to capture a person’s inner spirit accurately.”

With each project volunteers have the opportunity to learn more about themselves, and their humanitarian family. In 2016 Carol discovered some of her fellow Great Shape! Inc. volunteers had such a profound gift of reaching out to the children with seemingly endless energy and love. She was greatly moved and inspired.

Keep coming back as we continue to share artwork from Carol, as she shares her gift with all of us.

We each have the opportunity to reach out to others, give, learn and receive! We are blessed. #OneLove #OneFamily