I’m so glad you're here and have decided to come read along. This is my favorite space to come and write honestly, defy expectations, and embrace the full spectrum of my experiences. A journal/journey of an artist and mother, embracing her multitudes.

I'm Vanja Vukelic—an artist, writer, mother, war survivor, and a highly sensitive intuitive, photographer, fae kin, and a devotee of all things baking, tea, and plants.

After years of creating a membership space that drained my vitality, I decided to shut it down. I had become so focused on offering value to others that I stopped writing and making art for myself. I fenced myself within the walls of my own creation. Letting go of the vision I had nurtured and invested in for two years turned out to be the best decision I've made in a while, and that’s why I’m here. 

For eight years, I went by the name Merakilabbe as a self-taught artist, and recently made the choice to honor and create with my birth name. My artist pseudonym served a specific purpose during a specific time, but now I feel the need to embrace the fullness of my being and liberate myself from the constraints of past iterations.

I am here because I love to write more than I love most things. I'm not the best at it, and I don't strive to be. Although English is my second language, it's one I've adopted as my inner voice. I write to practice, to understand, to feel, to refine, to connect, to envision, and to give permission. I write to show my son how writing is necessary to me. I want him to respect the art and the time it takes to do it. I want him to see me doing what I love so that when he discovers what he loves, it will be easy and effortless to say yes to every calling of his heart. I write to forge a space that's slow and wholly authentic. I write to be of service. I write to challenge the oppressive forces of patriarchy.

I write to be available for what wants to come through me right now.

My hope is that these entries will nourish, liberate, and inspire you. May my words serve as a reminder that nothing is broken, and that everything is sacred and holy. You are enough just as you are, and you are never alone. May my stories ignite your own passion for writing, living, and sharing your own unique experiences. After all, storytelling is an integral part of our humanity, connecting us to one another. My aspiration is that my writing will awaken a profound sense of being and expand your awareness of the magic that is woven into ordinary moments of this beautiful, complex, and multilayered life we share on Earth.

My Monday letters are free for everyone to read.

And also,

this is one of my jobs, and I put a lot of effort into it. I believe in paying people for their work, especially in creative places where artists and writers aren't valued enough. If you enjoy this newsletter, find it valuable and inspiring, I would love if you consider a paid subscription.

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I plan on sending letters weekly or whenever I feel spacious. Thank you for being a part of this journey, whether through reading, sharing, listening, or supporting in other ways.

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Email: vanja@vanjavukelic.com — I’d love to hear from you.