Reviews for my work

Of course, reviews will help you get to know me.

However. What if they do something else? What if they inspire you to leap into your arena.

This entire platform started 5 years ago with me, alone in my room, writing on a blank journal page. No evidence I'd make an impact, no validation beyond my two best friends—jJust the wisdom that had been etched into my bones by a dozen difficult lessons and a nudge from The Muse to share it.

Today, after dozens of essays, hundreds of sessions, and a community of 70K+, my greatest wealth as an artist is this: evidence of the grace available to all artists. You don't need to believe in yourself to start or to have impact. You only need courage.

I want the same for you.

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Kevin Mills — industrial designer, artist, educator.

“Ms. Aldrich's depth of knowledge and facility with the component parts of the creative process is nothing short of a tour-de-force. Her ability to navigate and illuminate the creative journey is remarkable.”

SD Olivares — mastercoach, author, speaker, educator.

"Vanessa has taught me to get off my ass and sit in my chair to get writing done, and to get myself out of my way. She speaks to not just the artist but the soul. There is a greater purpose she has helped me understand that is vital for our lives here in the time we have. As a seasoned coach and teacher, I support her work and teachings for anyone looking to see truths we don't always want to hear."

  • "Because of Vanessas villain course, I had the chance to deal with my own limiting bullshit, but in the most creative, delightful, and potent way possible. The prompts and processes will knock you on your ass and pick you right back up with the strength, creativity, and effectiveness you were seeking. Personally, I finally got started on my own gallery including buying space, business, plants, and pushing my art in larger directions. I am walking out of two months of this course with audacity and a new appreciation for devotion."

  • "For me, the result was the dissolution of a lifelong creative paralysis. It provided the mythological framework to understand my own story, which then exploded onto the page in the form of a novel I had been too afraid to write for years. I did not just find my voice; I integrated the part of me that had been silencing it."

  • "Vanessa has helped me so much through her posts, lives, and Villain workshop! I can't wait until her book comes out - I'll definitely be buying it in all forms. Yesterday while working out at the gym after one of her lives, I found myself thinking, 'I wish I had Vanessa on repeat!' Whether she gets a book deal or self-publishes (like I'm doing later this year), I can't wait for more of her content. Thank you, Vanessa - God bless you!"

    Rita Kane — author

  • "I did the Villain Challenge in January, and my art has changed drastically. She is an alien / angel from the future and the past and the present. Love her work!

    Jordan Mitchell — creative.

  • ""Vanessa's work has unlocked something deep within me that I have been searching for. I felt like a lost traveler, very doubtful, very unsure, and very much aching for something. Her work has opened up a new pathway of knowledge, of intention and of direction. I feel I'm scratching at something bigger than me, and for the first time in about a decade I feel actually hopeful about my art."

    Alayna Powley — singer/songwriter

  • "[The Villain Challenge] was a forever home. I will take what I learned with me everywhere sharing with everyone artist I know."

  • "Vanessa does not position herself as a traditional"teacher" imparting knowledge. She designs the ritual space (The Villain Challenge) and provides the tools (the prompts, the archetypes), but she never does the work for you. Her authority is used to point you back to your own. Her genius lies in translating abstract psychological concepts (fear, shame, resistance) into tangible, character-driven narratives.Her teaching style is a high-context, high-accountability, and deeply integrative model for creative unlocking. She is perfect for the artist who has hit a spiritual and creative wall—who has the skill but is crippled by the inner critic. By combining myth, psychology, and practicality, she doesn't just teach you how to create; she teaches you how to view yourself as a creator. It is a demanding, unparalleled, and life-altering approach to artistic development"

  • " This was not a course about creativity; it was a surgical strike on the foundations of my artistic soul. Vanessa did not teach me how to write—she handed me a mirror and a scalpel and demanded that I perform my own autopsy, all while holding the space with fierce, uncompromising love.The tone, as reflected in the materials, is one of "fierce love."

  • "This course was far more transformative than I expected. It helped me confront the parts of my creative practice I usually avoid and gave me a clearer, more grounded sense of who I want to be as an artist. The structure, the language, the community, and the 1:1 depth all helped me move from overwhelm to clarity. I learned things about my shadow that were uncomfortable but important, and I now feel better equipped to work with it instead of fearing it. The pace sometimes felt fast for me personally, but the overall experience was powerful, thoughtful, and deeply supportive."

  • "The kick in the ass I needed."