Paying Creativity Forward with Handmade Art

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Aurora Pfeiffer. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Seventeen-year-old Aurora Pfeiffer’s athleticism is matched only by her artistry. A competitive figure skater who emphasizes that it’s just for fun, when not on the ice she keeps busy rock climbing and weightlifting. She’s also teaching her dog to skateboard. And even after her band broke up, she plays piano and bass, occasionally writing songs. Making art, especially drawing, has been a longtime passion.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Aurora’s creativity is also what she channels at Paint It Fwd, the nonprofit she founded last July. Her inspiration grew from the impact of a successful fundraiser she initiated earlier in the year that has grossed over $16,000 for the Flight #5342 Victims’ Family Support Fund, the crash that took the lives of 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community.

She has also raised over $25,000 for Scott Hamilton’s Sk8 to Eliminate Cancer program over the years, offering her artwork to incentivize donations of $50 or more. Hamilton is a figure skating legend, a fellow Nashvillian and a cancer survivor himself, whose foundation funds research for treatment research.

Aurora was moved not only by the impact her art had on building and healing a community but by the idea of a collective of artists exponentially expanding their impact. Today, she spends much of her time creating art fundraisers for communities in need and building her artist network. As she nears high school graduation, she is looking forward to a gap year to make art, work, skate and grow Paint It Fwd before heading to college.

What inspires you to volunteer?

I like volunteering because helping people is important to me. I know what it’s like to need help and support. There are a lot of people who have a lot of challenges and difficult circumstances. I enjoy lifting people up and building more equity.

Tell us about your volunteer role with Painting It Fwd.

As the CEO and founder, I do community outreach and run our social media. We’re currently rebranding, and when that is done, my goal is to post two or three times a week highlighting our work. We have a board, and my mom does a lot of the administrative stuff.

We recently partnered with a nonprofit called Art2Hearts, and they have a network of children’s hospitals whose bleak walls they want to brighten up with art. We’ve donated 30 prints so far with a commitment for another 220 this year. I’m working on developing a network of artists across the US to expand our gallery of art that nonprofit hospitals, shelters, hospices, clinics andother organizations can choose from.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

Last January, there was a plane crash in D.C. in which many of my friends lost friends. I drew some of the victims, posted them on Instagram and received a lot of grateful comments. Then, I had the image printed on t-shirts so people could keep an image with them. Over 250 shirts have been sold, and profits have been donated to victims’ families.

The slogan on the shirts, “Skate with their spirit,” is something my mom suggested, channeling my original idea in a way that I love. Amber Glenn, a three-time national skating champion, held hers up at the World Championships in Boston, highlighting it on international television.

I saw how my art had impacted people and wanted to continue. My organization aims to allow artists making art for, say, disaster relief, to fundraise through us without being taxed. Last January, we didn’t have the nonprofit, so all the t-shirt money we raised was taxed.

Why is art so important to you, and what mediums do you like to work in?

I’ve been doing art since I could hold a crayon. I love to express myself and create other worlds and characters that I can insert myself into and feel something–happy, sad, curious, intrigued, confused. Art is a catalyst for emotion, both as an outlet for your own and as a way to consume other people as an observer.

I mostly like to draw. With the rise of AI, I’m trying to move away from digital art, which is why I started painting with acrylics. The process is challenging, but that’s probably because I have no formal training. I’m just vibing.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

I’d like to organize monthly community art classes with a team of local artists and work with underserved communities, senior homes or any community that needs a bit of fun in their life. When I go to college, I want to start a chapter there and get others to do the same at their own universities. And I’d love to paint murals and brighten up walls around the city.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

People are more grateful than they may seem or express. A lot of people are really appreciative for the work that we do, even if they don’t tell us. Realizing that has led me to express my gratitude more and not take things for granted.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

It helps other people, and it helps yourself. If you work on something you care about, it’ll make you feel productive and happy. And, obviously it makes other people happy. It’s a positive feedback loop.

Do you have any advice for others who want to use their art in a positive way?

You can join my organization, of course. Other than that, try to make connections. If you want to paint a mural, find out who on city council to contact to let you do that. If you want to donate art to hospitals, find someone who can connect you to hospitals.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

If you want to do something, just do it. Even if you’re scared. It’s always hard to talk to strangers, but you haven’t got much to lose.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Aurora? Find local volunteer opportunities.