There’s a certain display in the GROW Nebraska stores that never fails to attract attention and produce giggles. I can’t help but chuckle to myself every time I see people reading the signs out loud to each other and laughing. (I mean, don’t the others with them know how to read?) What are they looking at? The delightful signs, angels and snowmen from Im’s Countryside Painting. Many of her sayings are sassy and slightly snarky. For example, “Grandchildren are God’s Reward for Not Killing Your Kids”!
Each and every piece is skillfully hand made by an amazing lady, Ima Gene Mason from Tecumseh, Nebraska. Well, she admits, lately she has someone cut her boards for her but only after her third band saw gave up the ghost! Clearly, that seems reasonable. After all, she’s been painting for over 30 years now!
Ima Gene knocks my socks off. She is quick witted, incredibly prolific and a super savvy business woman. Ima Gene had a wholesale company for years and before that, she had busy, popular booths at large craft shows around the area. She and I reminisced a bit about the 1980’s when more was more and handcrafts were the hottest tickets around. As time went by, we saw many companies move production off shore and while the transition was understandable, it was a huge change for the industry.
After my delightful trip down memory lane with Ima Gene, something hit me. We often ask, “What’s in a name?” It dawned on me that Mason is a perfect name for someone who truly played a vital role in the very foundation of GROW Nebraska. Mason was one of the very first members of GROW. She joined in 1998, a year she remembers well because that was the year she lost her husband. Ima Gene is someone who regains her energy by rolling up her sleeves and getting to work, and work she did! Mason played a pivotal role in the early years of GROW. She worked in our Christmas stores, wholesale markets and helped with product evaluations for fledgling members.
What does Ima Gene do these days? Well, she’s not sitting around watching soap operas you can bet on that! Nope, she continues to hand paint every single sign herself, dozens and dozens of them! And if keeping the GROW Nebraska stores stocked with adorable gifts isn’t enough to keep her busy, she still does lots of custom orders for her pet customers and has a large display of her products in The Arch Monument gift shop near Kearney! Oh, and twice a year she send stacks of her wares to the huge Barn Festival in Hastings, Nebraska where they are snatched up by a whole new generation of buyers.
There are not enough words to thank Ima Gene for her many years of work and her contribution of both energy and wisdom to the cause! We celebrate her! Ima Gene was honored as a charter member in GROW Nebraska in 2015 before a large crowd. The award was presented at GROW Nebraska’s signature event, MarkeTech. It’s a jam-packed two day conference that brings in great presenters and provides a wealth of resources and up-to-the minute information about using technology and social media in marketing.
Im’s Countryside Painting has a wonderful product display in both GROW Nebraska stores, the Hilltop Mall in Kearney and the Conestoga Mall in Grand Island. A word to the wise; her snowmen practically melt off the rack so get yours early! Check out her Facebook page, too, where you can see more of her fun items! Some of Ima Gene’s most popular items are available online 24/7/65 at www.buynebraska.com!
About the Author: Betty Streff is the Coordinator of GROW Nebraska store in Kearney. You can read more about Betty here.
Each and every piece is skillfully hand made by an amazing lady, Ima Gene Mason from Tecumseh, Nebraska. Well, she admits, lately she has someone cut her boards for her but only after her third band saw gave up the ghost! Clearly, that seems reasonable. After all, she’s been painting for over 30 years now!
Ima Gene knocks my socks off. She is quick witted, incredibly prolific and a super savvy business woman. Ima Gene had a wholesale company for years and before that, she had busy, popular booths at large craft shows around the area. She and I reminisced a bit about the 1980’s when more was more and handcrafts were the hottest tickets around. As time went by, we saw many companies move production off shore and while the transition was understandable, it was a huge change for the industry.
After my delightful trip down memory lane with Ima Gene, something hit me. We often ask, “What’s in a name?” It dawned on me that Mason is a perfect name for someone who truly played a vital role in the very foundation of GROW Nebraska. Mason was one of the very first members of GROW. She joined in 1998, a year she remembers well because that was the year she lost her husband. Ima Gene is someone who regains her energy by rolling up her sleeves and getting to work, and work she did! Mason played a pivotal role in the early years of GROW. She worked in our Christmas stores, wholesale markets and helped with product evaluations for fledgling members.
What does Ima Gene do these days? Well, she’s not sitting around watching soap operas you can bet on that! Nope, she continues to hand paint every single sign herself, dozens and dozens of them! And if keeping the GROW Nebraska stores stocked with adorable gifts isn’t enough to keep her busy, she still does lots of custom orders for her pet customers and has a large display of her products in The Arch Monument gift shop near Kearney! Oh, and twice a year she send stacks of her wares to the huge Barn Festival in Hastings, Nebraska where they are snatched up by a whole new generation of buyers.
There are not enough words to thank Ima Gene for her many years of work and her contribution of both energy and wisdom to the cause! We celebrate her! Ima Gene was honored as a charter member in GROW Nebraska in 2015 before a large crowd. The award was presented at GROW Nebraska’s signature event, MarkeTech. It’s a jam-packed two day conference that brings in great presenters and provides a wealth of resources and up-to-the minute information about using technology and social media in marketing.
Im’s Countryside Painting has a wonderful product display in both GROW Nebraska stores, the Hilltop Mall in Kearney and the Conestoga Mall in Grand Island. A word to the wise; her snowmen practically melt off the rack so get yours early! Check out her Facebook page, too, where you can see more of her fun items! Some of Ima Gene’s most popular items are available online 24/7/65 at www.buynebraska.com!
About the Author: Betty Streff is the Coordinator of GROW Nebraska store in Kearney. You can read more about Betty here.
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