My name is Heather and my recovery date is August 30th 2015. I am an artist and a person in recovery from all mind altering substances.
While in active addiction, I lost my light along with everything and everyone I loved. I put my mind body and spirit through the dark until I found the rooms of recovery. When I first got clean in December of 2014, I had a whole new world in front of me in which I was able to showcase my work. I wasn’t prepared to be in an environment where alcohol was present and I relapsed.
Since then I became willing to make a change. After my first year, I had an idea to produce my own shows in Pasadena with an atmosphere that was conducive to people in recovery so we can have a safe space to show our creations. I began searching for venues and finally found a beautiful space in Pasadena. Since then, I’ve supported 3 shows with an out pour of artists in recovery ranging from every kind of medium you can think of: painters, photographers, musicians, fashion design, poetry.
There’s a young entrepreneur (who is a “normie”) that supports the cause with her own line of coffee called Renaissance Coffee and comes to each show. I have been told I’m doing the good work and that I’ve reigniting people’s creative thought patterns.
I didn’t know my idea was going to turn in to what it’s becoming, but I’m extremely humbled by all of it. I want artists who are in recovery to find a positive out let for themselves and feel a sense of accomplishment. The shows builds self esteem and allows them to be able to walk through the pressure of life with a safe space to land.
Artists learn how to price their product and learn they can have their own business doing what they love. Groups that have shown with me have been booked for other shows, sold their product, and have been exposed to new avenues they may not have known about. My company’s name is Loyal Royalty by Heather Nicole and this is a movement I hope will continue to be a blessing for many artists to come.
Thank you for creating this Voices Project, for spreading the message of hope and removing the stigma behind addiction.
There is life after drugs and it’s a beautiful one to have.