OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — For one Gretna teen, art has become a means to an impact-creating end. Mal Blecher does it all through her very own Cause of Heart Artwork for Charity.
"She just actually started painting in school," said Shuntel Blecher, Mal's mom.
That spark came six years ago. Today, the 14-year-old has quite the portfolio including canvas, paper, wood, ceramics, glass and more.
"I enjoy doing it," Mal said. "It kind of gives me a break from everything else."
Most of Mal's pieces sell for $3 or $5. She has earned hundreds of dollars in the last few years selling her work on Facebook and at Omaha-area craft fairs.
"It's mostly exciting because it's like, something I created, and somebody else likes it as much as I do," Mal said.
Through her nonprofit, Cause of Heart Artwork for Charity, Mal gives away the money she makes. She supports three children's charities: Youth Emergency Services, Make-A-Wish Nebraska and Bags of Fun.
Since 2019, Mal has sold about 50 pieces of her artwork and donated the proceeds to those organizations.
"I'm just proud that she comes up with ideas to help other people," Shuntel said. "It's never about helping herself. She wants to help everyone else. It just makes me really proud of her."
Click here to see some of Mal's work and learn about her upcoming craft show plans.