Meet Autumn Pippenburg

 

We recently connected with Autumn Pippenburg and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Autumn, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

Its purely a waste of time to live in a negative mindset. I wasn’t always optimistic so I am aware of the two different mental states you can choose to live in and how they can both affect you. Being negative has literally gotten me nowhere in life, whereas being positive has at least provided a peaceful state of mind when my world was falling apart. Being optimistic is a choice and it’s something I have to choose every day; multiple times a day. Its easy to look at the negatives but its harder to live with the repercussions.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I”m the founder and president of Art of Giving Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit hyper focused on ensuring art remains a pillar in our Chicago educational system. I am absolutely obsessed with making sure our children have the tools necessary to exercise their creativity and develop into well-rounded individuals who will one day contribute back to our society. The look on their faces when a new mural goes up in their school, or they’re able to participate in an art class using mediums they’ve never used, is absolutely priceless and needs to be protected at all costs.

This summer was extremely productive. Designing and completing three murals in our Chicago Public Schools was our goal and we finished everything right on time for school to commence. I am super proud of all of our artists, volunteers and board members for stepping up and creating something special for our students. The principals and art directors from all the schools were a huge help and I can’t be more proud of them for thinking outside the box and executing such a huge project for their students and faculty.

We also signed a lease to a new office and are building out an art gallery space in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago! This is an exciting adventure that will provide a platform for local Chicago artists to sell their work as a gallery represented artist. The gallery will also be a hub for our afterschool programs, summer camps as well as events. Our grand opening is March 7th, so stay tuned for more information and how you can attend.

Our programs have been expanding rapidly, allowing us to offer more art and educational opportunities to our CPS students and teachers. Our newest program, Stories of Our Lives, is a cogenerational workshop aimed at bringing elderly individuals together with eighth graders to learn the art of storytelling through song. We are honored to have received a grant from Innovation 80 to make this possible. We are also launching a new summer camp called The Art of Chess, which will be a combination of chess lessons and art classes during the summer of 2025. Our partner, Elite Chess, has been instrumental in making this a reality and we’re extremely excited for programming to begin!

We have some exciting events coming up in the next few weeks. Our last networking mixer of the year is September 18th at the Metropolitan Club. We will have live music, art and more. It’s a great opportunity for up and coming artists to come out and meet our team, or even just to network with likeminded individuals. Our biggest fundraising event of the year, our 5th Annual Black-Tie Gala, is right around the corner! October 12th at Stan Mansion is going to be an elegant evening with art, dance, live music and of course a delectable dinner and handcrafted cocktails.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

With anything you do, do it with good intentions and integrity. Having grit and a good work ethic is crucial to being successful in anything you do. A lot of people give up way too soon, and that only paths the way for the winners. But most of all, get involved in the things you’re truly passionate about. That way, every day is exciting and an adventure waiting to happen!

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

LISTS! Lists are my secret sauce to overcoming that overwhelming sensation of being a business owner, mom, partner, and friend. I have a very overactive brain so throughout the day I’m constantly remembering all of the little things that need to be done and trying to organize them. But once I write them down, my brain can release the temptation to recite them over and over again. I can focus on the task in front of me, knowing I won’t forget about the tasks to come. Before I go to bed, I write things down. If I’m laying in bed and think of something, I get up and write that down. Lists help me prioritize and sleep better at night.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Leadership Development
Empathy Unlocked: Understanding how to Develop Emotional Intelligence

“Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It’s the impetus

Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Boosting Productivity Through Self-Care

When you have a never-ending to-do list it can feel irresponsible to engage in self-care,