Meet Amanda Lee | Family Communications Consultant & Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for my business came to me, actually, when I was using art to process and heal from my exceptionally unhealthy marriage. Ever since I was a kid, I used my little doodles in all of my school projects, regardless of the subject. I didn’t draw much at all throughout the course of my marriage but when I was standing face-to-face with the hard truth that I was likely emotionally-abused and needed to get divorced after 12 years and 3 kids, the desire to draw little pictures came back to help me process my pain. I realized my children were learning from these little simplified depictions of my healing, and I began drawing to teach them concepts of self-love, acceptance, and setting healthy boundaries, etc. As I drew, my desire to advocate for the emotional health of my own children, and children everywhere, expanded. I began posting on social media and using my resources to help find ways to accomplish this mission. I developed a program to coach parents on how to communicate with their kids effectively to promote a peaceful and respectful home dynamic, created and taught (and am still currently teaching) an art class for kids where I emphasized emotional health, and am in the process of publishing my first book of my drawings, so more parents can have ways to teach their children about emotional health.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I had a hard time deciding to select “practice” or “artist” because I do both with my art! My art is my way of connecting with children and explaining social and emotional health concepts in a way that they can understand. I believe there is a huge lack of advocacy for the emotional health of children in our schools, in our society, and even in our homes. I am a huge proponent of respectful parenting and creating supportive and peaceful homes filled with acceptance, understanding, and emotional health education. Our children thrive, learn, and connect when they feel safe, and I am among many who are on the mission to discourage the harsh/aggressive methods of parenting, which can be replaced with far more effective and peaceful ways to raise our children, with their emotional health as a priority. This is what sets my art apart from others! It’s art with a mission; it encourages parents to do their inner work and healing, and gives them tools and ideas to promote meaningful communication and connection in their homes! This journey has not always been easy, because it hits close to home. Many of the concepts I drew came from coming up with ways to teach my own children, which can be complicated and muddled with my own worry over them. However, the desire to help my children fueled the desire and creativity, which is how I overcame the worry. I knew that my art would help them, and help kids everywhere. I would like the world to know that there are practical ways that we can make a shift in how we see and treat our children. It can seem like a daunting task because we may or may not have been raised this way, but it’s time to prioritize mental and emotional health, and we must start with ourselves, and in our homes. This is what my art is all about.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend were to come visit me for a week, I would show them different perspectives on the best Seattle has to offer! There are many ways to experience the Space Needle, for example, by not even going into the Space Needle at all! I would take them to Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill, see the city from the vantage point of the Columbia tower, and see the skyline from the opposite viewpoint, by riding bikes along Alki Beach in West Seattle. Seattle is littered with fantastic and quaint bookstores like Elliott Bay Book Company, Queen Anne Book Company, and Third Place Books. Visits to local coffee shops are a must, and you can also eat your way through Seattle! There are so many great options of varying costs, from fresh seafood to Dick’s cheeseburgers, and you can find food that accommodates almost every dietary need/restriction here! The hikes are hard to beat, and adventures on the water are easily accessible and fun, like kayaking/paddle boarding in any of the lakes.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are many, many, MANY people in my life who deserve credit and recognition in my story! It’s hard to narrow it down to one person, so I would say that my shoutout is to the real and genuine friends I have, who saw me through the darkest of times and continue to support me and believe in me. These connections are rare and I am so grateful for mine. They always saw the real me and cheered me on. That, to me, is the most valuable thing a person could ever have, and I would not be where I am today without them!

Website: www.mymommytheartist.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mymommytheartist/