Illustrator Mary Engelbreit has been a household name for over 30 years.
The St. Louis native’s whimsical illustrations and witty captions have been used in greeting cards, children’s books, and a variety of other products, earning her a spot on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 2013.
copyright Mary Engelbreit Enterprises, Inc.✏️Shop http://t.co/IQDm29MGWL pic.twitter.com/iV8SMGU85I
— Mary Engelbreit (@maryengelbreit) July 9, 2015
But when Engelbreit posted an illustration about an issue very important to St. Louis-area residents — the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson — to her Facebook page last Friday, she faced a storm of criticism from some of her 174,000 fans.
Some of her fans supported her.
But many lambasted her, telling her to “shut up and draw.”
Faced with this criticism, Engelbreit doubled down.
She even responded to a few pieces of criticism herself.
(For the record, Engelbreit first posted the illustration in August 2014, donating proceeds from sales of the illustration to the Michael Brown Jr. Memorial Fund, and she faced the wrath of the Internet then, as well.)
But even amidst the vitriol, Engelbreit found a way to stay above the fray.
Keep moving forward to bigger and better things!https://t.co/3hNdz7JmE4 pic.twitter.com/QJSGt6Te9m
— Mary Engelbreit (@maryengelbreit) August 9, 2015
Then she posted one of her older illustrations, preferring to let the message speak for itself.
http://t.co/btRmPutYwb pic.twitter.com/GSgeuzE5zq
— Mary Engelbreit (@maryengelbreit) August 9, 2015
