ARTWORK

​Hellish Haven: Lonely Planet
40cm x 40cm | Acrylic on canvas

​Our Genesis_1
40cm x 40cm | Acrylic on canvas

RAINbow Dawn_1
​40cm x 40cm | Acrylic on canvas
​

The Rose and the Sunflowers_1
40cm x 40cm | Acrylic on canvas​

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BIO

Mahnissa Mahneerut (Mandi)
Mahnissa Maneeurut—known as Mandi (MAOIs)—is a creator whose creative journey is one of deep introspection, healing, and constant transformation. Her work spans across writing, collage, acrylic painting, and spiritual guidance. Every creation is a reflection of her life’s battles—her struggles with mental health, cultural misunderstandings, and the duality of human relationships. Over the years, Mandi has evolved into a sincere artist, using on her experiences as the foundation for her wide variety of chosen mediums.
Her artistic journey began with the written word. At just 19, writing under the pen name Queen B, she won two national fiction awards in 2012, showcasing her remarkable talent. However, her focus soon switched inward, and she began to explore her own story. In July 2017, she released her first nonfiction book, Depression Diary (It’s Not as Sad as You Think), a transformative work for both Mandi and the mental health awareness movement in Thailand. The book ranked 14th at the Asian Book Exhibition in Taipei February 2024 and became the first nonfiction work from Thailand to address the realities of depression with both sensitivity and humor. It played a key role in sparking conversations about mental health in her home country, making a lasting impact on society. But the book was more than a memoir—it was Mandi’s first public offering of her truth. Through it, she gave readers a new perspective on depression, mental health, and human connection, marking the beginning of her transition from writer to visual artist. It allowed her to explore more visual expressions—where words alone could not go.
Her venture into the world of visual art began with manga, where she created a comic on Line Webtoon, immersing herself in the world of visual storytelling. Here, she honed her understanding of light, shadow, and form. Writing these stories while collaborating with illustrators sparked a desire to create more. From storytelling, Mandi transitioned to visual art, eventually curating her own group exhibition. She curated an exhibition titled "Turn Your Scars into Stars, “in February 2023 where her poem "Paintiful" resonated with the idea of beauty emerging from pain, a concept inspired by her muse, Vincent van Gogh. Van Gogh plays a significant role in her creative and emotional life.
This exploration opened the door to the world of collage, a medium that allowed Mandi to gather and assemble the fragments of her stories, emotions, and personal experiences into something tangible. At first, collage served as a way for her to visually piece together these scattered parts of herself. But as her personal life began to unravel—particularly following the forced separation from her loving artistic partner—the act of cutting and tearing paper took on profound, symbolic meaning. Each cut was no longer a mere artistic decision; it became a representation of the emotional ties being severed in her life. Every slice of paper symbolized the gradual unraveling of her cherish relationships, creative collaborations, and her very sense of stability. The physical act of cutting mirrored the cutting of bonds, where each severed piece echoed the dissolution of friendships and partnerships. Tearing the paper added another layer of intensity. Every tear reflected not just surface disruptions but the tears from her eyes from deeper emotional wounds that were emerging. The jagged, uneven edges, raw and uncontrolled, mirrored the tears she felt within—the shattering of trust, the loss of connection, and the crumbling of her identity. Each collage became an emotional
landscape, where the fragments of her broken relationships and inner turmoil were reassembled into something new and meaningful.
Creating these collages became a form of therapy for Mandi, allowing her to gradually reconstruct herself. Each tear and cut deepened not only the artwork but also her understanding of her emotional state. With every piece she tore or cut, she wasn't just making art—she was slowly mending herself, learning to navigate the rough edges of her life. In this process, her hands became her voice, telling stories of pain and healing in a way words could not express. As her journey progressed, Mandi transitioned into acrylic painting, where she discovered a new form of emotional expression.
In her most recent artistic endeavors, Mandi has turned to acrylic painter. This shift in medium marked another emotional milestone. Acrylic paint, with its versatility and capacity for both boldness and subtlety, became her language for conveying the turbulence of her inner world. The fluidity of the paint allowed her to explore her emotions in ways that felt more immediate and rawer. Where her collages were deliberate acts of reconstruction, her acrylic works are more like emotional outpourings—each brushstroke a reflection of her feelings of loss, healing, and renewal. Acrylics, with their fluidity and layers, allowed her to pour out her soul in ways that could not be cut or torn. Each brushstroke was an act of surrender to the messiness and beauty of life. Her paintings became a dance of light and shadow, capturing the complexities of joy, pain, chaos, and beauty of hope. It was a moment of release, where she let go of the control she once held so tightly and allowed her emotions to flow freely.
In her acrylic paintings, the movements of the brush speak of catharsis. Layers of color collide, creating a visual symphony of emotion—some sharp and chaotic, others soft and calm—mirroring her internal ebb and flow. The fluidity of the canvas has allowed Mandi to push the boundaries of her emotional expression, offering a stark contrast to the cut-and-tear rigidity of her earlier collage work. Here, in acrylics, she finds release, allowing her emotions to spill onto the canvas in a way that feels immediate and unrestrained. While her art has evolved through different mediums, Mandi’s message remains consistent: healing is not linear, but art provides a way to navigate the darkest corners of the soul. Her empathy offered ability to convey these emotions has resonated with those who have experienced similar struggles, making her art a source of connection and solace for community. Through all of this, Mandi’s writing has remained a core part of her journey. Her Medium.com serves as a space where she openly shares her truth, discussing her struggles with mental health and the healing she has found through love, spirituality, and creative expression. Her heartfelt narratives, filled with vulnerability and wit, reach those who feel isolated in their struggles, reminding them they are not alone. Mandi always closes her work with gratitude, embodying her belief in the healing power of compassion.
None of Mandi’s journey can be fully understood without the influence of her muse, Vincent van Gogh. His presence has been a guiding force through both her creative and personal struggles. Vincent’s famous words, “what is done in love is done well,” resonate deeply with Mandi. To her, Vincent is not just a painter; he is her spiritual father, a figure she addresses in her moments of darkness and light. Through him, she has learned to see the world
with depth and compassion, embracing the light even in the darkest corners of her soul. Her connection to Vincent is profound and spiritual. His philosophy of passion, resilience, and creativity deeply informs her work. Yet, she also feels a responsibility to reclaim his story—not as a tragic figure but as a master of beauty that transcends suffering. She questions the myth that beauty must always arise from pain and seeks to shift that narrative, showing that hope, light, and compassion are equally valid sources of creativity.
Mandi’s pen name, Queen B, is an homage to Lilith, a figure she reveres as her spiritual mother. Lilith, the first woman created, represents defiance, self-truth, and wisdom to stand her ground, refusing to be molded by society’s norms or expectations, but instead presenting a reminder to unapologetically embrace individuality. She demands equality with the goal of respecting diversity, ensuring that each person’s uniqueness contributes to a greater sense of unity. To Mandi, Lilith is not the demonized figure often portrayed in religious texts but a symbol of strength and independence. Much like Vincent, Lilith is a guiding spiritual Mother in Mandi’s life, showing her how to face the wilderness with Strength and feminist.
Mandi’s creative journey is about the balance between light and shadow, between love and pain, between creation and destruction. Her work is filled with this truth, intensions, and her personal journey is one of reconciling these opposing forces within herself. Through her art, Mandi explores the paradox of imperfection and completeness—a reflection of the harmonious balance she sees in both Vincent and Lilith. In addition to her artistic work, Mandi is a Shadow Coach, inspired by the healing she experienced while connecting with her inner child during her battle with depression. She helps others confront the hidden parts of themselves, transforming their pain into power. Her work as a coach, like her writing, art, focuses on embracing the shadow, healing, and growth. Through her guidance, Mandi creates a safe space for healing, starting with herself and extending to others. Mandi pours her heart and soul into every piece of her work, infusing it with her spirit. Her creations are a seamless blend of art, Jungian psychology, and journaling, all of which she uses as vessels for self-expression and healing. She remains grounded through a deep connection to the natural world, which serves as both inspiration and a source of balance in her creative journey. Whether walking barefoot on the earth or sitting by the ocean, nature provides her with wisdom, reminding her of life’s cycles of destruction and renewal.
In 2024, Mandi’s impact was recognized when she received the national award for the best woman in Thailand, honoring her contributions to mental health advocacy. This accolade is a reflection of the difference she has made, both as an artist and a healer. Looking ahead, Mandi dreams of creating a sanctuary—a space where others can come to heal, create, and reconnect with their inner world from the noise of outer world. A home where humanity and spirituality coexist, providing everybody the opportunity to discover their true selves. At the heart of Mandi’s journey is compassion and love. It is the love that has healed her, the love that protect her from blending in, the love that fuels her creativity, and the love that she acts to others. In Mandi’s world, every word, tear, every brushstroke, and every moment of creation is a testament to her resilience—her life, like her art, is about finding beauty in brokenness and piecing together what has been lost into something whole. Mandi’s life is a blend of personal challenges, creative triumphs, and a deep sense of empathy for others, particularly those struggling with mental health. Her journey continues as she balances her artistic pursuits with her desire to impact society positively, all while nurturing her love, self-development, growth and self-compassion.