Last summer I had an incredible opportunity to travel to Zanzibar, Tanzania (an island off the east coast of Africa). There, I volunteered with ZAASO – the only veterinary organization on the entire island – to help with population control via spay and neuters, as well as help with the general treatment of all species on the island, from cats to dogs and even monkeys!
During these two weeks of volunteer work I met many amazing people, including three other women in veterinary medicine who were also volunteering with ZAASO. One of these women was a vet nurse from England, Rose Irwin.
Upon first meeting Rose, she was so welcoming and friendly! I’m sure anyone who meets her would agree that her smile and personality are contagious. She has a refreshing authenticity, and an admirable adventurous spirit. Months after our time in Zanzibar, Rose launched her art shop, Mindfulmess. The story behind this launch is beautiful, and I am honored to share Rose’s inspiring and heartfelt journey with you.
Rose Irwin is a 30-year-old referral vet nurse who currently resides in Bristol, England. She grew up in Surrey, but her mum is from Glasgow, and her dad is a mix of Irish and Romanichal traveller – so you can say she was born to be a world traveller!
‘Mindfulmess’ is the creative & sustainable art shop Rose started in 2019. “Mindfulmess is my own special source of therapy, much like the joy I get from gardening or caring for animals and people. I am able to disengage my over active mind and negative thoughts and lose myself in art and craft to benefit others and myself. Growing and recycling most ingredients used also gives me a tremendous boost!”
The act of Mindfulness (the practice of) is about a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment….When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past. Rose was inspired by this movement but felt she always lacked the attention span to practice it well due to her depression and so used this popular term to play on the words re-reading mind-full-of-mess. This is quite accurate for anyone who is experiencing anxiety and depression to feel! It is black humour and the aim is about opening that beautiful mind and letting it all spill out on the page past, present or future. -Mindfulmess blog
Rose was destined to be an artist. She was the youngest of three children, and consequently spent the most time in childcare from a very young age. “I had a string of very artistic child minders who were art students and always had me drawing, ‘colouring-in’ and making things out of sticks in the woods opposite my house.”
On top of this, Rose’s father is a photographer so she had plenty of cameras in the house to play with growing up. “After failing to get into medical school, I turned to art as a ‘back-up’, and went on to study dressmaking and pattern cutting at London College of Fashion before re-training as a veterinary nurse in 2015.” Talk about determination, and an incredible drive to never give up!
It’s fair to say ‘Mindfulmess’ was Rose’s calling. The idea behind her art shop arose from her feeling unable to express love and joy to her closest friends and family at Christmas or birthdays. She says, “I feel very sentimental about gifts. Not about material things but about a feeling from the heart. I hate the idea of commercialism and buying unnecessary things. I really wanted to find gifts that encompass a personality or echo a fond memory by using my skill of art. It was a culmination of this hole in the gift market and a period of deep depression where I had lost sight of myself and what I needed to function well. I turned to art to fill days that felt unbearable to face.”
She is a living example of how to turn pain and brokenness into beauty and inspiration. Each piece of art Rose creates holds so much value and emotions. This is why she says it is so hard for her to pick a favorite piece!
“I really just love soooo many artists and owe so much to them for my ability to analyze and self reflect. I find beauty in almost every art piece and use each to find a special meaning just for me. I enjoy a moment of personal imagination of how the artist felt when creating each piece. There is so much magic for me in the capture of time and moments be it photography, sculpture or painting.”
To anyone struggling with their mental health right now, Rose encourages you to turn to your friends and family. To tell them the truth however scary it may be. She says, “The reason you have never felt more alone than at 3am, despite the partner sleeping next to you and a phonebook full of great friends, is because you convince yourself that you are burdening people by reaching out to them.” She quickly learned how untrue this kind of mindset can be and adds: “Real friends worth keeping will always be there for you and want you to know this.”
Rose also recommends trying your hand at seed growing or gardening in order to boost your mental health. She says that the satisfaction from the cycles of nature is magically healing. Gardening is her latest adventure: “I have filled my spare time with hours working away listening to podcasts and books surrounded by my pets!”
Currently, Rose’s goals are to continue as a veterinary nurse part-time and run Mindfulmess on the side. “The ritual of designing, writing, making, photographing and advertising my art is so important for my mental health. My art really is made from a place of love and feeling many emotions.”
Outside of creating art and nurturing plants, Rose is passionate about cycling & photography. She has cycled in many places – some in UK, and some in more unconventional places. “My favourite being a trip across East Africa from Zanzibar to Lilongwe in Malawi. I love people and animals and this trip combined the two perfectly! Immersing myself in a new culture was beyond rewarding.”
Being a veterinary nurse, she also loves animals. In fact, she rescues old dogs to give them a comfortable retirement! (Honestly one of the sweetest and probably most rewarding ways to adopt a dog!) Rose also loves learning new things, so she reads a lot of philosophy and biographical works to help with her mental health.
Rose’s advice to all women out there: “Love isn’t just about romance and a ‘feeling’ but also about practicality, compromise and friendship . A ‘soul mate’ is not the person you are to spend the rest of your life with but more an invaluable encounter with a pivotal and inspiring person in your life sent to help shape you into the person you knew you could become.”
So beautifully said.
May we all find this type of love in our family, friends and partners as we journey through life.
To snag a piece of Rose’s beautiful artwork, check out the ‘Mindfulmess’ website, and be sure to follow her on instagram @mindfulmessartshop to see her latest creations & learn about the meanings behind her work.
(Even though Mindfulmess is based in the UK, Rose still ships her work internationally!)
Love this!!!!!