Vanessa Valencia

Hello, my name is Vanessa Valencia and I am an artist living in a lovely part of Arizona. I make all kinds of art, from painting to clay sculpting to mixed media to jewelry making. I love tending my gardens and cuddling my dogs. This blog is dedicated to art, lifestyle, gardening, cooking, crafting & every single little magical thing in between ♥

Email me at: [email protected]
Visit my shop at: aFancifulTwist.etsy.com

I often feel like a strange and curiously artistic woman from the 1800's trapped in the body of a daydreaming girl, living in a bizarre Arizona.

I am a one woman show. I paint, sculpt and run my little art business. I solely run my online shop, and make sure every parcel is packaged with utmost care. I take all of my photographs for my blog and parties, and do all the editing (I taught myself photoshop in 2006). I do all my own home and party decorating, and I set up vignettes for events I host etc.

I also design a line of fanciful cards, based on my photos and art pieces.

As for art - I make all kinds of art. Paintings, mixed media, paper dresses, art dolls, jewelry, illustrations, art dolls... I also make funky pottery, and I am always exploring other mediums...

I live in the high desert of Southern Arizona and have an art studio & private little gallery in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains about an hour north of downtown Tucson.

Currently, all of my art pieces can be found in my online shop.

I realized many years ago that today is the day and this is the time. Embrace and adore now, this minute, this second, everything around you and about you. There is only so long you can dwell in the darkness before you have to escape...

(In the right hand sidebar of my blog, you will find something called Archives. The Archives list, lists blog posts by month and year. Use Archives to read any posts from my blog dating as far back as Dec. 2006)

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I have been asked many times to extend my bio.. So, here we go...

I love anything and everything creative, magical and imaginative. I started playing piano at around 4. Which I think sparked some kind of dreamy stuff in my imagination... I have since found (by looking through scrapbooks my Mom put together) that, I won a few art contests at that same wee age. Who knew???

At about 11, I started painting designs on walls. At 13 it was on to painting furniture and large scale canvas. My parents really nurtured all my creativity. It also helped to have a mom who always has her fingers in hot glue and crafts... I think I have known about hot glue gun burns since birth...

It was always dollhouses and dress ups. My grandmother added to this with hidden double attics and doll clothes making galore...

My mom sat back the other day and shook her head. Then she said... "Where was I, in my mind? I didn't even flinch... I had this 5 year old, who, as we were backing out of the driveway in our car, would scream WAIT!! I forgot something! And then would return with her signature "eyeliner" beauty mark and red lipstick..."

Yep, twas I...

I spent my youth in the desert. And, much time in California. My father owned a produce brokerage for 30+ years. So we got to spend half years in San Diego & other parts of California. This is because the produce industry has seasons, and fruits and veggies take you to different parts of the country at different times of the year. So for us, it was Arizona mid-Fall to Spring. California, Summer to early fall.

However, our homebase was (and still is) in Arizona. We were in the mountainous zone, and did have the pleasure of green billowing canopy trees...

I explored real ghost towns (alone many times), and hunted for treasure in the hills. Entering caves without a care in the world... Kinda scary now that I look back on that...

I was a wacky girl with a wild streak... A Sagittarian who wanted simply to be free... No rules!! ;)

When it was time to go off to University, my parents were adamant that I must get a degree in something I could get a job with (haha!). And, proceeded to insist that I could not study art (wish I had, although I taught myself a lot. I have 5 bookcases of art books). I still have not taken an art class of any kind, to date.

So, I have a Bachelor of Science in International Retailing and Consumer Studies. And studied photography as a minor. I spent many a wee hour in the University of Arizona dark room. Love that place!!

So many things had happened in my wee life up until then, that I could have written a novel...

I was showing my work in a tiny gallery/shop at 19. And began working there. It was in Downtown Tucson, so I got to meet some wonderful artists, who I have stayed friends with ever since... That was the best art education I could have hoped for...

I am only now understanding what people mean, when questioned about their life, respond by saying "it was another lifetime ago..."

I feel like I have been so many different girls in my life... Grown and learned and continue to grow and learn...

I have been asked many many times, how I got into art? I have to say - I was born with the love of it in me and started very young. But, throughout life I have had to have jobs I hated just as much as anyone else. During those years I found myself painting late at night or on weekends. I was even a business woman by day for 10 years. But, thanks to those jobs, I had the means to buy fun art supplies and save up so I could quit that job and start my little art business full time...

And, now that I look back, the years I spent with day jobs I hated, painting during any spare moment, were some of the most emotionally creative times in my life.

I have learned so much over the years. I used to pile my artwork in my convertible (long gone) and do shows. I was fearless. I also did hundreds of jewelry trunk shows for many years (I still design jewelry). Setting up for many grueling hours. Oh, the story could go on and on...

And, now, I find myself here. I get to share through my blog - The most magical adventure to date...

I feel like so many of my dreams are making their way to the real world... And I am still in a state of shock over it sometimes. But, that has taught me something very valuable...

"Nothing can break you, nothing can take away your imagination, nothing can stop you from creating. No one can take away your wonderful spirit. Dreams do come true. They really do. And it is true, dreams do come true if you believe. So hold on to them tight. Never give up. And, never let any other person take any of that passion away from you. You are yours. Protect your little soul, and heart. The only person you have who will be with you through everything, and hold your hand, and love you, is you!!"

My wonderful parents always told me some form of that... Mom and Dad, you were right ;)

Today, I spend most of my time at my humble and beloved country home, and the city house is becoming more of a memory of times past. I love living 30 minutes north of Tucson. Tucked away in the country, under huge beautiful trees... It is my bliss...

Okay, enough babble... Let's make ART!!!!