https://www.instagram.com/vanessa_miniatures/
I have loved painting and drawing for as long as I can remember, but I was never great at proportions. I loved drawing characters, imagining their setting, and inventing fantastic clothes and accessories for them. I was self-taught as an occasional canvas painter, and I gravitated towards miniatures since they could bring me the best of everything I loved: painting and playing games.
When I started my business as a commission artist painter, I was unsure how I would like it. In past jobs, I had a tendency to tire easily when doing too much of the same tasks over again. This can happen when painting armies, especially hordes, as I mostly do. What it ended up being for me though, was a different project almost every week or two. The more progress I make, the more interesting project clients ask of me. This encourages me to improve so I can attract fun, beautiful, and challenging commission projects.
To me, being an artist means giving life and personality to a sculpture. When I see a new miniature, I like to think about its story and choose the best colors and composition to tell that story to the world. This is also why I do not enjoy copying someone’s idea for a theme because that was their story to tell. This does not mean I will not take inspiration from others though, since we all need inspiration and reference to feeding our creativity.
MHCP is a wonderful initiative, not only for painters to exchange on the subject of mental health and find support within the community, but also to give back in their own way. Can this feeling of helping others be as fulfilling as finishing a miniature project?
I consider myself an outspoken introvert, one who is quiet until I am sure I can be myself around people. Although I tend to speak my mind, I also feel very anxious about how others can react. When I make a mistake, I am often afraid that this will impact my social life negatively. This anxiety is a battle I have been having with myself for a very long time. And it is one I know many other artists have.
When I left my office job to become self-employed, after my father passed away and I had my kid, it was the greatest thing I could ever have done. Before, I was stressed over being far from home and daycare, finding a job I would fit in, and being able to stay physically and mentally healthy. Although I had concerns, in the end, I listened to their needs. Since I was afraid that working from home would cut me from the rest of the world, I looked for other ways to socialize and discovered streaming.
Sharing your life on social media is, like anything else, something that should be done in good measure. I have specific rules of what I am ready to show or talk about, which mostly included private aspects of my life. But I have a passion, one I share with others, and I am not shy to put myself, forward. And through that, I have found friends to create a community with and share experiences with.
And being open about mental health is, in my opinion, the best way to fight it. I might be vulnerable as I do this, but speaking up allows others to open up too. And as we do, we become stronger, and more confident together.
Thank You Vanessa For Sharing Your Story With Us.
Prince
MHCP Founder
Mental Health Charity Programs 
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