Allow me to introduce myself
Introduction
My name is Teneshia La’Rae D. I am an African American Mixed Media Artist & Entrepreneur living with CPTSD and Bipolar Disorder.
The Beginning
My story begins in grief and trying to move forward from that all consuming grief. I felt as though I had been in a deep sleep. Not only was I grieving another loss; I was also grieving myself.
As I started to wake up a bit, I went looking for help, answers, solutions, community, anything that would get me through the nightmare I was living. I was so used to just surviving and in my search I quickly realized that the area in which I live is limited in resources.
The Process
I started with one image a lot of thoughts, feelings, and memories with no direction. I wasn’t sure where it was headed or where I was going until I started writing down the clutter in my sketch pad and processing it through imagery. I started sorting my illustrations into stages.
Seeing the images laid across the floor I recognized a familiarity. They were the stages of my life. I didn’t break me but I had to fix me.
Though my art I felt vulnerable, shame, guilt, and many other things. I wanted to just keep it hidden away. It didn’t feel good at first but, it became a way for me to convey the things I couldn’t say and helped me to connect with others.
The Mission
I have had to create, stability, structure, and build community in my life. I have started to outreach and build it locally where there are barely any resources. I have taken what I have learned through my experiences to create products and services that inspire, empower, and promote self-care and mental wellness.
