Episode #22 Beginning Again: Art, Healing and Building a Creative Life with Tonya McGuire

In this episode of I Love Your Stories, Hava Gurevich speaks with visionary artist and art therapy coach Tonya McGuire about finding her way back to art after a major health scare forced her to stop, reassess, and reconnect with her creative voice.Tonya shares how art had always been part of her life, but years of work, responsibility, single parenting, business ownership, and corporate leadership pushed her creativity into the background. After experiencing symptoms that led to a diagnosis of supraventricular tachycardia, she found herself returning to drawing and painting as a way to move through fear, uncertainty, and healing.The conversation explores visionary art, storytelling through portraits, trauma, mentorship, community, creative reinvention later in life, and what it means to build a meaningful art practice rooted in legacy, emotional connection, and resilience.ShownotesIn this conversation, Hava and Tonya discuss:Finding art again after a health crisisTonya talks about how heart-related health challenges forced her to pause, step away from the pace of work, and return to her brushes during a period of uncertainty.Growing up creative but choosing other responsibilities firstTonya reflects on how art was always in the background, but earning a living, supporting her family, raising her daughter, and working in sales leadership took priority for many years.The emotional power of artShe shares the early experience of creating work that moved her father to tears, and how that moment showed her art could touch people on a deeply personal level.What it means to be a visionary artistTonya explains how her work moved beyond simple portraiture into storytelling, symbolism, emotion, hummingbirds, lotus flowers, wildlife, sea life, and the feeling of becoming.Learning, mentorship and communityThe episode explores Tonya’s experience with the Milan Art Institute, the Society of Professional Artists, Art Storefronts, and the importance of being part of creative communities that support growth.Turning art into a professional path later in lifeTonya shares how she began selling pet portraits, developed a body of work, and started building a professional art career within a short period of time.Art, trauma and healingThe conversation touches on childhood trauma, EMDR therapy, post-traumatic stress, and Tonya’s work creating trauma workshops through art.Legacy, caregiving and end-of-life storytellingTonya discusses the idea of legacy portraits and how art can help tell meaningful stories around life, ageing, caregiving, memory, and transition.Redefining successTonya reflects on success as the ability to continue creating work that makes people feel something, while also learning how to manage life when it becomes loud.Advice for artists beginning againShe encourages artists who have put their passion aside to make a plan, stay accountable, speak belief out loud, expect resistance, and find their voice.