ARTIST NELLIE VANCE

Nellie Vance is a Milwaukee based graphic designer, artist, and activist. She loves being involved in community activities and using her art for good. 

What are you most proud of? "I am proud of our community in Milwaukee for staying strong and compassionate. I'm proud of my friends and family for all the learning and work they're doing, and the love they always have to offer. I'm proud of everyone who is doing work to protect and uplift Black lives."

Is there something you’ve stopped doing/caring about in this time? "I've definitely stopped holding back my feelings so much in recent months. Something in me cracked, which I believe is happening to a lot of people right now, and the "niceness" I've gotten by on is starting to roughen up just a little bit. Not that I'm being mean or anything, but I've learned about boundaries and how to figure out what mine are and how to enforce them. This has led me to start caring more about my well-being and stop just going with the flow, because the flow isn't always headed in a good direction."

What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up? "I think about how much longer I can snooze for! I'm sleepy."

Who do you think needs advice and what would you like to tell them? "Everyone could use some advice! Be gentle with yourself, stay hydrated. Get enough sleep. Ask or look for answers instead of acting like you know. Black lives matter."

You can view Nellie's work on her website nellievance.com