Jess Bird is a self taught artist + illustrator, making magic in her hometown of Rochester, NY. She started her instagram and shop Bless the Messy in 2014, in an effort to connect back to herself and others during the darkness of depression. Exposing herself as a messy, in-process human figuring it out, she uses her illustrations to convey what she’s learning, how she’s feeling, and how she moves through the world around her. Her hope is that people feel seen, validated, and less alone. She started Bless the Messy in a closet (both literally and figuratively) and has grown as an artist and human alongside so many of those who have supported her journey (even at a distance).

In the conversation today, we hear about lessons learned from life with chickens, and how they help create community. Jess shares about how social media has been used as a tool to share as she’s been navigating life and finding safety in herself and at home in her body - without the filters or trying to shapeshift to gain love and acceptance from others. Jess also shares a bit about how she had to completely dismantle the life she’d been living in order to step into authenticity and truth.

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Shout Out: @BlkBookSwap

Jess on Instagram: @BlessTheMessy

Row House Publishing on Instagram: @RowHousePub

Podcast Transcriptions Available: www.rowhousepublishing.com/podcast

Learn more about Row House Publishing and our mission to Raise the Volume on Voices That Matter™: http://rowhousepublishing.com

Original Book Stoop theme: anonymous

Cover art: Danielle Pioli (https://www.daniellepioli.com)