Artist offers 'Veggies Food for Thought'

By Lynn Atkins

Staff Writer

A combination of three interests -- food, psychology and art -- have led Dotti Fick to her mission to help Americans improve their diet. She's fulfilling her mission with humor and visual aids. Her "Veggies Food For Thought" series represents a whole new way of looking at vegetables.

Growing up, Fick's father owned restaurants so she always had an interest in food. When she married, she grew much of her own food including organic grains. She milked goats and raised chickens for eggs. But she put her own career on hold to raise her family.

When her husband was diagnosed with cancer, Fick's interest in nutrition intensified. Together they spent 20 years fighting his cancer with wholesome nutrition and some alternative medicine. Although he eventually lost the battle, she's confident that their efforts extended his life.

People are bombarded by advertising and don't take the time to think about nutrition. Sometimes they don't realize what's in their food. For example, store-bought grains can have molds and toxins. Organic grains are worth the extra effort, she said.

After moving to Arkansas, Fick earned a degree in psychology, but she's never used it professionally. Instead, she's earning money with her art work and using psychology to create memorable messages about nutrition.

"You have to make it fun for people to change them," she said. Her artwork brings a humorous message, like the "Bite Me," a piece that uses various kinds of lettuce to spell out the words. The series includes "Happy Hollandaise" with eggs, asparagus and lemon and "Think" with celery, peas and a carrot. When she's through with the vegetables, she may move on to fruits.

"When I get this out of my system, I'll move on the other things," she said. Maybe a book or a line of refrigerator magnets that will help people keep nutrition in mind every time they open the door.

She sells her work at shops in Eureka Springs and at the Crumpet Tea Room, as well as the Frisco Station Mall Craft fairs. She also has her own Web page, dafickstudio.com.

"Every artist should do something like this for a while," Fick said, explaining that she gets a lot of satisfaction out of sharing a message of good health.

Reporter Lynn Atkins can be contacted at lynna@nwanews.com.