My Artistic Journey

My name is Vashti Mims, and I am an African American artist deeply committed to using my work as a means of both self-expression and healing. My practice focuses on creating large-scale, stylized portraits of African American women, each piece a reflection of the complex interplay of culture, identity, and mental health. Through my art, I aim to capture not just the beauty of Black womanhood, but also the vulnerability and strength that come with navigating the often isolating experience of mental health struggles.

As a Black woman artist, I know firsthand how often mental health is a taboo subject within communities of color. There’s a unique and often painful stigma surrounding mental health in these spaces, a stigma that can prevent us from seeking the help we need or even acknowledging the mental and emotional toll that systemic challenges, generational trauma, and personal struggles take on us. My work is born from this silence and is driven by a deep desire to create spaces for these important conversations to take place. I believe art has a unique power to open hearts and minds, to give voice to the voiceless, and to heal in ways that words alone cannot.