Angie's Saint Magnets

What inspired you to start this business?

As a full time youth ministry I have long had a practice of praying with the daily scriptures. About fifteen years ago I started to journal with the daily readings but instead of writing words I would draw an image that came to mind during devotion. Some days if the readings did not inspire any images I would draw the saint of the day. One day, on vacation with friends, my friend asked me to draw an image of St. Thérèse of Lisieux for her. When I finished it I wanted to make it into a gift item rather than just a piece of paper. I explored many options before coming to the idea of magnets that could be displayed in numerous ways. I launched Angie's Saint Magnets in November of 2018 selling my first 20 saint magnet ideas on Facebook in time for Christmas. I continue to grow both as an artist and as a business through the support of my many friends and customers.

How does your faith shape your work?

As an artist inspired by scripture and the lives of the saints my Catholic faith completely influences my business. This is both in the product I create as well as my business practices.

What's a favorite patron saint or scripture?

My favorite saint is Pier Giorgio Frassati. He is from the same region of Italy as my father and I admire his piety, his devotion to his friends, and his care for the poor. I aspire to be great in these virtues as he was. In 2022 I traveled to Italy with my parents to visit my father's side of our family. On our visit to the Italian Alps where my father frequented in his youth as a mountain climber I recreated Pier Giorgio Frassati's prayer card image with one of my saint magnets.

What's one thing you'd like customers to know?

I am an artist who creates hand drawn images of the saints that are printed on magnets for clients to purchase as gifts for any number of occasions where they want to share their faith or enrich the faith of the receiver. My art features a stylized look with the purpose of making the saint approachable with large eyes and open smiles. My goal is to invite the receiver of these images into a friendship with these saints. My magnets are an invitation to consider the life each saint lived. Though my art I hope to spark curiosity and a greater devotion to the saints. In addition to saints I also create custom art to print on magnets or other media. After the loss of one of my youth group students I created an image of this student in the arms of Jesus as a comfort to her family and to her many friends. I have repeated this style of image for the families of others who have passed who are close to me. Last year I had an online client reach out to me asking for such an image of her son. Many who have received these magnets have expressed to me how these images have been a comfort to them in their grief. I recently created an image of my cousin who passed unexpectedly in April. It is on my refrigerator in my kitchen and I remember her with joy whenever I see it.