Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Mendoza

Hi Amanda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

My name is Amanda Mendoza, and I am an artist, illustrator and muralist who uses their art to advocate and spread awareness for mental health and healing from violence. My art journey started as a kid, drawing as a way to soothe the complex emotions I felt from suffering in silence. For those who may not know, I am a survivor of childhood sexual and physical abuse, and art is my tool for healing, expression and building community connection. As a teenager and young adult, painting and drawing came to me during moments I searched for clarity of my emotions- anxiety, depression, confusion, isolation and so on… After many years of therapy and art exploration, I continued to create art but with the intention of sharing my art with the community to spread awareness of healing from trauma and to remind everyone that they are not alone and their story matters. Art healed me, and I believe it has the power to heal others too.

As of January 2024, I left my 9 to 5 job to pursue being a full-time artist. I am incredibly excited to have more time to create original works that have been buzzing in my brain over these last few years. Some other services I offer are: family/pet portrait commissions, mural work, illustrations, art classes and parties, live wedding painting, and more. If you ever looking for anything artsy, let’s have a chat! ( www.AmandaMendozaArt.com or email [email protected] )

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Since becoming a full-time artist in January of this year, I was pleasantly surprised with the support I received from family, friends and past colleagues. The biggest barrier I have come across is facing my own imposter syndrome and self-doubt. There are some days I wonder if I can keep pursuing art full-time, and then I’m gently reminded by loved ones and my supporters that it’s still early days. It’s okay to not know everything, and at the same time, it’s important to reflect on what you have accomplished because it’s easy to look over them. My advice to artists is to try not to compare yourself to others- I know it’s hard to do, but each of our journeys are unique from one another. Support each other, and find your community.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

My artwork focuses on topics such as identity, mental health, healing and empowerment where I draw inspiration from my personal life as a survivor of childhood sexual and physical abuse as well as my previous work as a victim advocate for the sexual assault crisis hotline. I typically use mediums such as acrylic paint, acrylic pouring, pen and ink, and alcohol ink markers, but I am always exploring and playing with different mediums. For self care, I like to create illustrations of cats and plants and turn them into various items, such as stickers, t-shirts and tote bags. I think it’s important for myself to rest when painting or drawing deeply emotional pieces because it does take a lot of energy for me to stay in that place for a long time. My pieces, such as “Into the Abyss” or “Beauty in the Chaos” are some of my proudest achievements, but I really do enjoy doodling cute animals from time to time!

Another achievement I am most proud of is that I curated and hosted my first ever group art show, titled Stories of Bravery, Healing and Hope: Survivors Art Exhibition. This exhibition focused on highlighting artwork from survivors of sexual and/or domestic violence, as well as their loved ones, to provide a safe space for them to share their truth and spread awareness of these issues to our community. We had a full house for the opening reception in July with nearly 90 individuals in attendance. You could feel the love and compassion emanate across the entire gallery. This was a dream I have had since I was in university, and it finally became a reality almost a decade later with the help of being awarded a grant from the Connecticut Office of the Arts.

While I am most known for my artwork in advocacy for survivors of sexual/domestic violence, I also specialize in creating murals for home, office and public spaces. I also teach painting classes, provide live wedding painting, and create illustration work. I enjoy learning something new and tackling unique projects, so if there is anything someone is looking for help with in regards to art, I’m your person!

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?

Authenticity, honesty, patience & compassion. In every piece of work or interaction that I am involved in, these are the traits I carry with me, that I look for and that I strive to be. Being a survivor of abuse, I learned at a very young age to stifle my emotions and behaviors in order to survive the dangerous environment I was in. It took many years of therapy to be able to find my voice, to allow myself to be honest with others, and to not be fearful of taking up space. We live in a society that finds it uncomfortable to talk about trauma, and I welcome others to wade through the discomfort with me by using my artwork as a tool to start discussion and to ask questions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.amandamendozaart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandamendozaart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaMendozaArt/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@amandamendozaart?si=hmn4kvuE3FaUY9Re
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@amandamendozaart?lang=en