2010 MSAA Art Showcase Committee

The following members of the Art Contest Committee evaluated the many inspiring works submitted by 40 artists living with MS throughout the country for the third annual Art Contest:

Anne Marie Buck – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Anne Marie Buck is a psychologist and the Life Coach for MSAA. Although she has no formal training in art, she appreciates art and the creative process as powerful therapeutic instruments. Having worked frequently throughout her career with creative art therapists, she has seen how art can help people access and give expression to the unconscious. She has also seen how it can assist individuals in working out major issues. Art can provide a creative “flow” experience for the artist that is liberating, therapeutic and fun.

Maria DiLeo – Shamong, New Jersey
As a Freelance Art Director with over a decade of experience, Maria has designed and directed everything from packaging and identities to advertising campaigns and digital media for companies including Time Life Books, National Geographic, and the Pennsylvania Ballet. Prior to establishing a freelance business, she was a student at Moore College of Art and Design, majoring in graphic design. Later in her career she returned to Moore as an instructor for their Continuing Education Program. She has also enjoyed employment stints at the STAR Group and 3R1 Marketing.

Linda Stewart – Vero Beach, Florida
Linda Stewart is a recently retired clinical social worker. She had a private practice for almost 30 years and often used art to aid clients with the healing process. She comes from a family of artists and has been on several artist trips to France to experience the world of the Impressionist masters first hand. An avid amateur photographer, she truly enjoys the challenge of the creative process. She believes that one always learns something new about the self or one’s craft (or both) during that process that is greatly beneficial in the end.

Francesca Boone – Ramsey, New Jersey
Francesca Boone, is an artist who has been living with Multiple Sclerosis since 1978.After receiving a degree forInterior Design from the Fashion Institute of Technologyin 1977, she designed andbuilt several homesand contributed tothe interior drawings for various companies including: Macy’s in NYC, Wanamakers, Beneficial Finance, Susie Casuals,J.C. Penny’s, and Kinney Shoes.She has also learned how to paint porcelain in the European traditionand hasentered and won various competitions, including a Bronze Medal in an International event.She continuesto paint porcelain and branchesoff at any opportunityto learn something new.