Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dee Dee Reed. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Dee Dee, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
I am definitely happier as an artist and creative . I sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job because in my past I did have a regular job. Since I was a child I was drawn to creative projects and my Mother allowed me to take classes in all types of creative directions. I did not have the confidence to pursue that road when I was younger so I took normal jobs like everyone else. When I was in college I decided to go into the art of hairstyling and make up for a short time but fate would have me to take a detour in life into the Corporate world in the executive recruiting field and become my own boss. This was very lucrative for many years but then there was another twist of fate that brought me to where I am today creating Orphaned Bears and Rabid Varmints and Creating my own YouTube channel about Organic Urban Backyard homesteading and Gardening . After being at a desk , on the phone and in front of a computer for over 20 years, I am much happier being both in a creative role and being out in nature with the dirt and the fresh air.
Dee Dee, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am the creator of the Orphaned Bears & Rabid Varmints this is a art project that was set in motion from my personal anxiety. Being determined to avoid medications and only using homeopathic medicine, I started making these Orphaned bears and Rabid varmints to relieve my anxiety. The back story of me as an artist and the Orphaned Bears and Rabid Varmints goes like this : A Recluse who lives in the Mythical Forest, Rescues Road Kill and brings them back to her homestead where she stiches and assembles them back together using anything she can find to patch them up with her imagination to make them unique. They all live together in the Mythical Forest. Because of their disfigurations, it’s hard to find people who will like them for who they are and adopt them.
Since 2010 she has rescued , rehabilitated and fostered 27 Rabbits and Bears.
3 were adopted and now 24 available for adoption ( Maybe…) As she has grown to love them all so its very difficult for her to let them go, so She wants to make sure they all go to the right home.
There is a back story for each and some have starred in a short film. Many were named after Human Orphans.
In addition to Creating Art , I have created a a YouTube channel with screenwriter and Author Boris Amado, called “The Mythical Forest with Dee Dee & Boris. The Mythical Forest is a whimsical experiment in Life! We try and Experiment with all kinds of things in The Mythical Urban Forest in Southern California. We create videos about organic gardening, homemade diy Fertilizer ( fermented plant juice JDAM method), composting, freeze drying, vermiculture with red wiggler worms, container gardening, black soldier flies (BSF), growing outdoor cannabis and CBD , Silky chickens and roosters, our Pit Bull, Tinctures, diy enzyme cleaner, Experiments such as a greenhouse made out of a used trampoline and much more. We share with the audience as we try and fail & succeed. Don’t throw away your weeds! Make Fertilizer instead! We share a little humor & tips from the Mythical Forest & a few practical jokes/pranks. We even have ASMR & sleep sound videos that you can relax, nap or fall asleep with. We have exclusive content as well for Members only about how to grow cannabis and behind the scenes and bloopers.
My hope is to bring some joy to anyone to sees my art and for those who watch my YouTube channel , I hope I can bring some laughter into their life and and perhaps some insight to backyard gardening. I want people to see that its ok to fail and that you don’t have to be perfect. But just trying can be fun.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
The only resource that I can say significantly impacted my life to stay positive and never give up as a entrepreneur would be listening to Louise Hay and Andy Andrews and Wayne Dyer for positive thinking and self motivation. I do however believe that dedication and hard work and an industrious personality may be an inherited trait, some people just have that spark in them to keep going and persevere and self motivate. However for creating a business and all that goes with it, I find that on the job learning, watching and learning from someone else soaking up every word they say and watching every move they make is the best learning experience. I also believe that if you don’t enjoy what you are doing then you need to take immediate action and find something that you love to do or something that you are passionate about. You will be much more successful if you have a special interest in what you are doing. Its not all about success its also about enjoying life and having a reason to wake up every day, something that brings you joy happiness and satisfaction. And hopefully that same thing will also bring you peace at the end of the day when your head hits the pillow.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
A story that that illustrates my resilience, I wont go into details here but I can tell you that there have been several times in my life that I have had to reinvent myself due twists in life or a downturn in the economy or physical illness. During these times I have just trusted in God and I would think about what is the worst thing that can happen, In my case at the time Death or homelessness was my biggest fear. I would say to myself , well neither of these have happened yet so I can keep going! I trusted that God would guide me to the next chapter in my life and in my best interest. When I look back at my life I can honestly say that those things that I though were bad luck or unfortunate events catapulted me into a new beginning such as career, home and life that was always better than the last. Every single time, If those string of events had not happened, I would not be where I am today!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://boriskarloff34.wixsite.com/website-1
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/deedee_reed_the_artist?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-reed-321507
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themythicalforest
- Other: Orphaned Bears instagram
https://instagram.com/orphaned_bears?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==mythical forest instagram pagehttps://www.instagram.com/mythicalurbanforest?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Image Credits
Boris Amado