Messy Minds: A Collaboration​ of Vulnerability

Cover photo: Emily Bonas

Messy Minds is a creative project created by Soheila Homayed and Danielle Provencher. With over 200 submissions for the book, the duo have put together an amazing creative collaboration and you will have the chance to purchase your own at their book launch on Thursday, August 8 at La Fromagerie!

Tell us about Messy Minds.

Messy Minds is a collaboration of art, poetry, words written, photography and advice to your younger self. It’s a book that showcases submissions from people in the community who felt like they had something to say. We wanted to provide a canvas for people to express themselves and give artists an opportunity to speak. There are so many talented and creative people all around us and as artists ourselves, we know the importance of a creative output. 

Who are the creatives behind Messy Minds? How did you come up with this idea?

Messy Minds was founded by Soheila Homayed and Danielle Provencher – two 23-year-old best friends who wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Soheila is a graduate from the University of Ottawa and Danielle is currently finishing her last year of graphic design at Cambrian College. We came up with this idea while living in different cities and both unanimously feeling lonely. On a phone call one Summer afternoon in 2016, we were discussing the importance of connection and wanted to fill the gap for people like us who wanted to be heard, to feel accepted and most importantly, feel a sense of belonging. We both had been using art as creative outputs for years and realized that others may be doing the same – so why not create a canvas to express ourselves? 

How did you decide what was going to be featured in Messy Minds? 

We had over 200 submissions for the book. Each one was curated and beautifully written. What we mainly looked for were pieces that we felt a connection to – or pieces we knew other people would feel a connection to. We chose brave pieces, well-written pieces, and photography that made us feel something. Mostly, however, we chose art that inspired us and moved us. We chose art that was raw and knew was hard to get out. We chose pieces that had something to say. 

The process was lengthy and difficult because we felt everything alongside the submissions. It was, at times, emotionally exhausting for us but well worth it. That being said, there were so many more we wished we could have published. We even have a list of submissions ready to go into a second book if we choose to continue publication! 

You have a book launch event coming up, what can we expect to see at this event?

Our book launch will be Thursday, August 8th at La Fromagerie from 5:30 pm- 7:30 pm and will be joined by live music afterward. We will have a couple of contributors come up and read their work, as well as pieces from the book displayed around the room. Most importantly, we will be selling our books for $25 cash! As we only have 100 copies, we will also be taking pre-orders if we sell out.

We encourage everyone to stop by, to bring any kind of writing or photography if they wish, and get to know some of the incredibly talented people featured in the book! You can find out more here.

Poetry Excerpt: My Advice to You

My advice to you, my dear, continue to piece together those happy moments, see beauty in everyone and everything, believe in the inherent goodness of human nature and never, never lose your awe and wonder for the world. In a universe populated bybillions of stars and incomprehensible mysteries to explore onthis very planet, there is no time to be a cynic. Marvel everything from the life of a tiny ant to the incredible power of a fearsome thunderstorm. And most of all, choose happiness above all else.

What is the future of Messy Minds? Do you plan to create more books or projects?

Danielle and I plan on creating a movement – on spreading awareness and illuminating the mental health issues featured in our book. We have issues of depression, anxiety, sexual assault, eating disorders and anxiety. Overall, however, we wish to turn this book into an entire community of acceptance and a safe space where people can feel a little less lonely and a little more understood. As two black sheep, we recognize the importance of belonging. 
We will hopefully be working on a second publication in the future and continue to build our online forum through blog posts and open spaces where people can write to us and submit their words or photographs directly! 

Find out more about Messy Minds on their website.