Meet Heidi C.

About: Growing up in Minnesota, Heidi never thought of herself as artistic, but she always enjoyed art. Her father was an avid painter, and she remembers, as a child, him sitting on the couch with a painting brush and canvas in hand. Her mother and brother are also creative.

When Heidi started working at Walmart, she had her first paid vacation, and she bought an adult coloring book. She self-taught herself how to shade and really enjoyed it. The art helped her with her mental health and anxiety. From there, she transitioned from coloring books to painting by numbers, teaching herself techniques along the way.

The Story Behind Her Artwork: Heidi joined ArtAbilities to hone her skills and create artwork that she is passionate about. For her, art is therapy to maintain her mental health.

“I think it keeps me alive,” said Heidi. “It helped me throughout the pandemic to maintain my mental health.”

Other Interests: Heidi also enjoys writing. She was the editor for her high school newspaper at Lincoln High School in Lake City. She also helped develop a morning TV production for Humboldt High School in St. Paul. She hosted a morning talk show. Furthermore, while attending Rochester Community Technical College, she worked on the school newspaper.