My Story

My name is Alyssa Pierce, the heart and hands behind Layered Minds and AP Visuals. I’m an artist, a psychology major, a mother of two boys, and a woman who believes deeply in growth, reflection, and healing, even when the journey is messy.

Art became a safe space for me long before I ever turned it into a business. It was the one place where I could express emotions I couldn’t always put into words. As I grew, as a mom, a student, and a woman finding her purpose, my creativity became a bridge between all the layers of my life.

I paint from a place of understanding. A place of trying to heal my younger self, while also creating visuals that help other people feel seen. I use bright colors and bold cartoon lines because they remind us of childhood, a time when life felt innocent, expressive, and full of imagination. My art brings that energy back to people who may have lost touch with it.

I’m currently finishing my Masters in Social Work, and everything I’ve learned shows up in my work. I pay attention to emotions, symbolism, and the inner stories people carry. I care about mental health, community connection, and creating spaces where people can breathe and just be.

Being a mother has shaped me just as much as being an artist. My boys push me to dream bigger, stay grounded, and create a future filled with meaning. They inspire the patience, gentleness, and strength in my work — even when I’m painting bold, loud colors.

Layered Minds was born from all these pieces:

• my love for creativity

• my passion for mental wellness

• my desire to build safe spaces

• the experiences that shaped me

• and the stories I’ve lived through and learned from

Through my art, paint events, workshops, and podcast, I try to bring people into that same safety. A place where they can express themselves without judgment, reconnect with their inner child, and release some of the weight they carry.

More than anything, I want people to feel peace, joy, and reflection when they enter my world. I want them to feel understood, whether they’re looking at a painting, attending a workshop, or just listening to my voice on Colors of Conversation.

This is who I am: layered, expressive, healing, growing and everything I create comes from that place.