Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Valadez.
Hi Monica, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started creating art in early 2020 as a way to cope with PTSD and express things I didn’t always have the words for. What began as a personal healing outlet slowly became a way for me to reconnect with myself, my healing, my creativity and eventually my hometown.
As my work evolved, I began celebrating the Houston culture that shaped me, especially the Houston I remember from the 90’s. I make my own silicone molds and work with resin, styrofoam, paper mache, clay, rhinestones, moss and other materials because I love creating pieces that are dimensional. I always say that I like my art the same way I like people – with layers and depth.
Today, I’m a multidisciplinary artist with my own studio at Sabine Street Studios! My work now brings together Houston culture, nostalgia, healing, transformation, and resilience. It’s amazing to look back and realize that something I started during one of the hardest periods of my life has grown into a real art practice, and a way for me to connect with other people.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I started creating while working through PTSD, so learning to quiet my inner critic and trust my own voice has been one of my biggest challenges. Because my work is so personal, sharing it can feel vulnerable – especially when it touches on trauma, loss, mental health and parts of my identity.
There have also been practical struggles, like balancing a full-time job with my art practice, covering the cost of materials and studio space and learning the business side of being an artist. More recently, I went through a major surgery after doctors discovered a large ovarian mass, which was ultimately diagnosed as stage 1A ovarian cancer. That experience forced me to slow down physically, but it also gave me an even deeper understanding of resilience and transformation – themes that were already present in my work.
Every challenge has shaped the artist I am today. The road hasn’t been easy, but it has been meaningful. Art has helped me process what I have lived through, reclaim parts of myself and turn difficult experiences into something that can create connection, beauty and hope.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a multidisciplinary mixed-media artist specializing in dimensional artwork inspired by Houston culture, nostalgia, healing and transformation. I’m best known for my signature purple resin drips and pieces celebrating 90’s Houston – from DJ Screw and Astroworld to slab culture and other details that instantly feel like home to people who grew up here. I also create mushrooms and nature-inspired pieces that represent growth, resilience, and becoming.
I’m most proud that I turned something that began as a way to survive and process PTSD into a meaningful art practice. Having my own studio at Sabine Street Studios is something I’m especially proud of because it represents how far I’ve come. I’m also proud when someone sees my Htown art and immediately connects it to a memory, a feeling or a piece of Houston they thought they had forgotten. I’m extremely proud that I moved back home, a place I ran away from, and my anxiety no longer consumes me when I go to certain areas.
My work can be playful and nostalgic while still carrying deeper themes of trauma, loss, healing and resilience. I love making art that has dimension, layers and depth, both physically and emotionally.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My advice for finding a mentor or building a network is to be intentional, show up consistently, and focus on creating genuine relationships. Attend open studios, exhibitions, art markets and community events. Introduce yourself, ask thoughtful questions, support other artists and stay connected. I believe that a mentor doesn’t always have to be one official person – sometimes different people can guide you in different areas, from developing your work to navigating the business side of art.
What has worked for best for me is being visible and authentic. Social media has helped me share not only my finished pieces but also my process, inspiration and personal story. Having a studio at Sabine Street Studios has also connected me with a larger creative community and created opportunities for people to experience my work in person. Collaborations, pop-ups and simply telling people what I do have opened doors I couldn’t have always planned for.
I’ve learned that networking works best when it feels like a community. Supporting other people’s work, following up, and remaining open to unexpected connections have been just as important as promoting myself. The strongest opportunities have often come from people who genuinely connected with my story and remembered how my work made them feel.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://projectswithptsd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thats_so_htown/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Thats-so-Htown/61571344466035/#
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thats.so.htown
