What if the way your brain works - and the way your hand moves - wasn’t a flaw, but a feature?

In this reflection on left-handedness, neurodivergence, and the creative process, artist Mindy Wara explores the beauty of doing things differently, and how embracing the "crooked line" has shaped her art, her identity, and her way of seeing the world.

An allegorical poem on fear, resilience, and unity in the wake of the 2024 presidential election.

Nothing recharges my creativity and general sense of wellbeing like forest bathing. Trekking into the woods grounds me, reminding me to breathe and take notice. It mutes the outside world for a moment, allowing me to reset when life gets too noisy.

…The guilt, anxiety, and fear I’d carried for so long stared back at me, translated into gritty black strokes, stark against the white of the paper like nothing I’d ever painted before.

Oliver’s surgery was successful and he recovered much more quickly than expected. My boy grew stronger over the next several months, but I didn’t. Jason suggested that I sign up for an art class to begin recovering the pieces of myself that I’d lost.

Leaving the house led to being assaulted by well-meaning questions about Oliver’s health that I couldn’t answer. Not only was it too painful to discuss casually, I didn’t have the answers. Every cardiology appointment made me feel like I was underwater and couldn’t come up for air again until we were back in the car.

He was here. Warm in my arms, smelling of milk and hope, but I was still holding my breath… Within the hour and without explanation, he was rushed to the NICU.

During my first trimester, I devoured every book on pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding I could get my hands on. While research usually provides me with a sense of control, the more I learned about potential complications, devastating mortality statistics, and endless decisions to make, the more quickly I spiraled.

Though I’ve been designing digitally for years, there has always been a clear distinction between this work and what I’ve considered my artwork.

For the past year, I’ve been swimming in ancient Greek myths and modern retellings. What started as casually listening to a children’s mythology podcast with my son on long car rides quickly became a revisiting of tales I hadn’t read since high school. Of these, the story that draws me in time and again is Persephone’s.

An unexpected adventure paved the way for the Eastward Idols Collection, which blends the beauty of nature with the echoes of creatives heroes and heroines whom I’ve long admired.

When my work is celebrated or recognized, I feel like I’m preparing for a performance. I cling to my mask, tamping down meltdowns, fighting back tears, and trying to ignore the negative self-talk. I obsess over the details, trying to make every aspect of my life look effortless. In short, it looks like I really have my shit together.

Follow the journey of artist, Mindy Wara, as she paints a five-foot-tall fiberglass dragon statue for the Village of DeForest’s public art exhibition. Part two of this series delves into the process of gathering inspiration, dealing with delays, and the overwhelming tasks of actually getting started.

Follow the journey of artist, Mindy Wara, and her participation in a public art project in Wisconsin’s Yahara River watershed. In this post, discover the inspiration behind the work and how this dragon statue connects to the Yahara River clean water conservation efforts. This is part 1 of a series of posts on the Dragons of DeForest public art exhibition.

Racing the edge of the honey-thick sunrise, \ I reach for the horizon as it dissolves to blue…

The light has shifted, \ flashing a silent song to the surface \ that, somehow, I’ve never heard before…

Silence holds dignity close to her chest. \ Standing her ground - calmly \ and with resolve…

Our mighty voices vibrate - \ shattering barriers \ and building bridges \ where once there were none…

Anchored to this desk, \ the sun is gleaming \ and time holds his breath…

Armed with awareness \ and shielded by intuition, \ I push forward from the inside out…