The Radical Truth About Art, Healing, and Being Seen

Let me tell you something I've learned the hard way: when you share your truth—and I mean the unfiltered, tear-streaked, messy, radically honest truth—something extraordinary happens.

You become a mirror.

Not a perfect one. Not the kind that flatters or filters. But one that reflects what's real. And in that reflection, other people begin to see themselves, too.

That’s what happened to me when I stopped creating art for approval and started creating from my insides out. I had spent years as a passionate teacher, a people-pleaser, and a perfectionist. My body eventually said, "No more." And in that stillness—the unraveling that followed—I realized I had never really painted from me. Not the raw, real, sometimes-crying-on-the-canvas me.

When I finally picked up my brush with the intention of being radically honest, everything shifted.

My art changed. I changed. And, to my surprise, the world responded.

People started saying things like:

• "That piece made me feel seen."

• "I don't know why, but your painting made me cry."

• "It feels like you're telling my story."

And that’s when it hit me: maybe radical truth isn't just about personal liberation. Maybe it’s about collective healing. Maybe the things we think are "too much" or "too broken" or "too weird" are the exact things that bind us together in our humanity.

That’s the power and radical truth about art. That’s the power of story.

Art as Resistance and Connection

We live in a world that encourages masks. Polished feeds. Perfect answers. But art? Art doesn’t care about your filters.

Art is a form of resistance. It says:

• I will not shrink.

• I will not perform for approval.

• I will not pretend everything is okay when it's not.

  
  

When I began my Free 2 Be Me series, I had no idea how deeply it would connect with others. I just knew I needed to say something true. About healing. About illness. About shame. About freedom.

And each painting became a portal—an invitation for others to step into their own truth.

Your Turn: What Truth Are You Ready to Tell?

So I’ll ask you what I ask myself regularly:

• What truth are you afraid to speak aloud?

• What part of your story might be the lifeline someone else is waiting for?

• What if your creative expression isn't about being good, but about being real?

Healing doesn’t always look beautiful. Sometimes it looks like scribbles. Sometimes it sounds like silence. But when we create from the core of who we are—even if it’s raw, even if it’s messy—we create room for others to breathe a little easier.

That’s the radical truth.

Curious about going deeper?

I'm considering hosting a small, intimate cohort this fall for creatives who want to explore this very idea through art journaling and mixed media. If you're even a little curious... I want to hear from you.

Join my Instagram broadcast channel —The Messy Middle— and take the one-question poll: What kind of workshop would you LOVE?

If you aren't a member yet... you’re missing the best behind-the-scenes conversations. It’s raw. It’s funny. It’s honest.

Come join the community that believes healing doesn’t have to be pretty to be powerful.

With love and layered brushstrokes, Precious