Meet Belinda Wells: Artist, Writer, & Non-Profit Professional

We had the good fortune of connecting with Belinda Wells and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Belinda, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Early on in life, I wasn’t aware of my need for balance, and I often left myself out of the equation. I found joy and purpose in dedicating myself to serving the non-profit I co-founded, Manos Internacional; and I found joy in helping my friends and family reach their fullest potential. Over the many chapters of life, I’ve learned the value and necessity of having balance, even though at times it seemed difficult to find. To me, balance isn’t so much about time management between work, family, and yourself; but it is about balancing the quality, attention, and value you give every facet of your life, including yourself. The latter, I learned is likely the most important part of the equation: YOU. You cannot be helpful to others, if you are not first helpful to yourself. In essence, although I had been focused and successful on building up others, it took me a while to learn the importance of self-love, setting healthy boundaries, and building up myself. How has my balance changed over time? I’ve gotten better at it! I learned to invest in myself. I came to a moment in my life where I had to change my viewpoint of self-love. I learned that self-love and self-respect are not selfish. It is absolutely necessary to be your best for yourself, and in turn, you will be your best for others. Also, balance is not about spreading equal parts of yourself across your life, but to quote Michelle Obama, it is about putting “ourselves higher on our own ‘to-do’ list.”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Getting back to creating art and poetry have been a key part of creating balance in my life. I’ve been an artist and a writer for as long as I can remember. In my twenties, I painted large scale paintings themed on nature and the human experience. At that time, I had written over 300 poems, with a handful published during and shortly after my university years. Then, I proudly dedicated over 20+ years to non-profit leadership, sharing my experience in graphic design and writing to help serve children across the globe. For almost ten of those years, I stopped painting; and it was in 2017, as I was helping my teenage son achieve his dreams in Paleontology, that my own dreams in art and writing began to awaken. In the following years, my son and I were given the opportunity to volunteer with the Dinosaur Institute of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles on summer expeditions to help dig fossils with a team of world renown paleontologists. It was on these expeditions in the deserts of Utah and New Mexico, where I found myself inspired by nature, science, and art. I soon volunteered with the Museum of Latin American Art, made visits to the treasure chest of L.A. art museums and murals, and in 2019, I finally picked up the paint brush again. I’m excited about my current projects, which include working with the non-profit Manos Internacional on murals with students and volunteers at a community center in a remote area of Baja California, Mexico. I’m also working on two pieces of plaster jackets given to me by the Dinosaur Institute. These plaster jackets were once used to safely carry 150-million-year-old dinosaur fossils to Los Angeles. They’re empty now, but coming full circle, these plaster casings make the perfect canvas for what inspired me in the desert. I’m especially excited about a series of paintings to be included with a collection of poetry dedicated to my mother, Lê Thị Sam, and to all whose lives have been touched by war. I was born in the United States and first visited my mother’s homeland, Vietnam, in my 20’s. It was then that the war stories she had been telling me all her life suddenly gave me greater understanding into her experience. For years, the dream to write and paint her feelings and stories have been stretched out across my soul, quietly nudging at my creative mind to do something. Although she is no longer with us, her stories matter; and as my son says, I need to share them with him and the world. Perhaps life does happen in chapters. As I continue to move forward, I turn the page, and it’s now bursting with creativity, with art and poetry that somehow has allowed me connect all the dots in my life, and to discover that balance isn’t too hard to find after all.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We are so fortunate to have access to such a treasure chest of art and culture in Los Angeles. For my art and museum loving friends, we’d have to pay a visit to The Getty, The Huntington Library, and the Museum of Latin American Art. Our museum visits would not end there, as the Natural History Museum of Los Angles and the Brea Tar Pits are a must, as well as a trip to watch the sunset and take a nature hike at the Griffith Observatory. For a beach day, hikes, and coastal eye-candy in L.A., Malibu is the place. As for places to eat and enjoy a drink or two: The Perch. This roof top bar and lounge has incredible views of downtown L.A. and amazing ambience. So much to see and so little time, but a few other key spots would be my favorite sunset spot, Point Vicente Lighthouse in Rancho Palos Verdes, and a day in Long Beach, visiting the Queen Mary, the Pike, and more. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Sometimes in life, it’s just too dark to see through the storm; and it’s OK to allow loved ones to light the way. My shout out is dedicated to my friends and family, who were like lightning bolts in a storm, awakening my senses and illuminating the path ahead. I’d also like to give a few shout outs to the following non-profit organizations (where I have worked and/or volunteered) that have helped light the way: Manos Internacional, Children’s Dental Health Clinic, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and the Museum of Latin American Art.

Website: www.manosintl.org; www.artstudio738.com

Instagram: www.manosintl.org; www.artstudio738.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manosintl; https://www.facebook.com/artstudio738

Image Credits
Manos Internacional Belinda Le Wells