We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vickie Valladares a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Vickie , appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project was also the hardest project, emotionally that I’ve worked on. It was donated piece named, “It’s Beautiful Here” dedicated to the victims of the Uvalde shooting. I’m often asked to paint memorial pictures, and when the shooting happened, my cousin reached out to me and asked to paint something. We both had the feeling of needing to something, but in these situations, what do you do? What could possibly be enough to offer? “Just paint something,” my cousin told me, “Paint it and we’ll figure out how to take it over there.”
My family and friends came together with funds for the canvas, my mother-in-law got the city involved and was able to acquire a city truck to help us with the transport. Before we knew it, we were being contacted by news networks. When the painting was done, it was all over central Texas news stations.
We were able to raise up donations and offerings in the form of cards, stuffed animals, and flowers to take to Uvalde as tributes. The chamber of commerce in Uvalde agreed to house painting for us until it was decided where the paintings forever home would be.
It is now home at El Progreso Memorial Library in Uvalde. The painting depicts all of the victims in line, holding hands. They’re backs are to us, and they’re facing a large stair case that is leading to the gates of heaven that are open.
I chose to paint this simplistically, so the parents could use as a teaching tool, for their children. I wanted children to be able to understand, not just the magnitude of what happened, but to maybe give hope that they’re friends and teachers are somewhere beautiful.
Delivering this painting to Uvalde was an experience I will never forget. We visited the memorial sites, said prayers for the family and survivors, and sat in the moment, we joined in the sorrow and unity. It changed us all who went.

Vickie , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have always been a creative person. I like to work with my hands, and have spent many years working with children. I even decorated cakes and sold them from my home until finding a job at a bakery and eventually got promoted to manger. In my younger years, I painted but wasn’t very good at it. It wasn’t until having my first son at 30 years old, did I find my love for art. Art became a means of therapy for me after suffering postpartum depression. With the support of my family, I not only was able to find help, but my husband came home one day with paints, canvasses, and other art supplies.
“You used to paint all the time. Maybe you should try it again.”
It was a very sweet gesture that at the time I wasn’t grateful for. I saw at as just another thing I would have to do. One particular night, my son was in bed early and decided to sit down and paint.
The way my mind was solely focused on what my hands were doing was such a relief. Suddenly, my mind was free and clear of the lies that depression constantly tells you. Painting quieted the rage and sorrow that was in me. I completed my paintings in no time and as soon as I could I was off to the store to buy more canvasses.
As time went on, I learned more, people began showing an interest in my painting. I slowly began meeting goals of things I wanted to learn, I tried more mediums, and found a style that suits me (even though I feel like I’m still struggling in this aspect)
There was a time where I was very uncertain of the future. I wasn’t hopeful for my future, I couldn’t see it. But as I began painting I started setting goals and I started dreaming of a future filled with color and art. I wanted my art to take me somewhere, I wanted a purpose in it.
I started off only doing acrylic paintings, now my main source of working is acrylic, color pencil, copic marker, and digital art. I am an author as well of two Christian fiction books, soon as my writer friends began to notice my art, I started to get contacted for illustrations for children’s book. I’ve written and illustrated my own children’s book, called Yellow Fellow; The Shy Giraffe. Getting into illustrations has been the most rewarding and difficult part of my art journey. It was one of my silent goals that I never verbalized because I thought the goal unrealistic.
I’ve been blessed to illustrate several books.
I named my art business Artful Hands Artistry. It is my goal to provide unique art pieces that will not only look beautiful in your home, it will give you a sense of hope and peace. I’ve painted memorial pieces of departed loved ones, and colorful bright pieces for children’s rooms.
What started as a form of therapy for me has lead me to help others make their dreams come true. I’ve met some amazing people along the way and I am eager to see where else my art takes me.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding thing is knowing that my art means something. It may not be timeless, it may not be hung up for all to see in a gallery, but for someone out there, it means something. And that is what makes being an artist worth while.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I am in a constant battle with my own mind. The negative thoughts and feelings become so loud that it’s hard for me to look past it sometimes. There are reoccurring thoughts of feeling like no one will ever take me seriously as an artist, that I will never progress, and I will constantly be an afterthought for opportunities. That when we get right down to it, I’m just not good enough.
There are and have been times where I have felt unseen, or overlooked because there was someone better. And those blows can be devastating. The resilience comes in with acknowledging those feelings, acknowledging the hurt, and the loneliness, and painting something that opposes what I feel, or painting what I feel.
I’ll keep putting myself out there as an artist, I’ll keep reaching out for work as an illustrator. I’ll keep dreaming of one day painting a mural, and making my own way as an individual. My resilience lies in my dreams of hoping and dreaming for something more and something better. I won’t sit and wait for it, I’ll keep working at my craft until my worth is seen.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/artfulhandscanvas
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/artfulhandsvickie
• Other: TikTok/artfulhands

Image Credits
Penny H. Haavig, the author of Ebony Finds A Friend (the first book I ever illustrated)