An Inspired Chat with Mary Wu of Manhattan Beach

We recently had the chance to connect with Mary Wu and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Mary, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me starts really early. I get up before everyone else and go feed my chickens. It is actually my quiet little moment before the house wakes up. Then I get the kids ready, drop them off at school, and when I get home I finally get to paint or work on whatever art project I am excited about that day.

I try to sneak in a walk or play a little ball when I can, because once the kids get out of school, everything gets busy fast. From that point on I am basically driving everyone around and doing all the mom things.

If you have kids and work and you are trying to keep a passion going at the same time, you probably know exactly what my days feel like. It is a lot, but I always tell myself… I’m living my best life!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Mary and I am the artist behind MamaPandaPainter. Art became a huge part of my life after I went through a very serious health crisis a few years ago. I was bedridden and needed full time care, and it felt like my whole nervous system had just crashed. I could not do the simplest things without pain or exhaustion. Painting was one of the only things that made me feel calm and alive during that time. It slowly became my way back to myself.

Now I get to paint almost every day while raising my kids in Manhattan Beach and taking care of my backyard chickens. I love creating warm, simple, joyful art because that was exactly what I needed when I was at my lowest. And I think a lot of people need that gentle comfort too.

I started posting my art online just for fun, and somehow it grew into this amazing little community. I love showing people that you do not need perfect supplies or a fancy studio to make something beautiful. You just need a moment to breathe and the courage to pick up a brush.

I have my first watercolor book coming out soon, which still feels unreal to say. It is called DIY Watercolor Cards and it is filled with happy projects that anyone can make for all the special occasions throughout the year, even if they think they are not creative. Working on this book has been one of the biggest dreams of my life.

So that is me. I am a mom, an artist, a chicken lover, and someone who knows what it feels like to lose your strength and slowly rebuild your life. Now I get to share that journey through my art, and that honestly feels like the biggest gift.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The moment that really shaped how I see the world was when I reached the sickest point of my life. I was bedridden, I could not even feed myself, and I had to rely on other people for every basic part of living. I could not take care of my kids. I felt like I lost my identity and everything that made me feel like me.

But that season is what changed me the most. When life gets stripped down like that, all the things you thought mattered fall away. I had to let go of the expectations I placed on myself and the ones I thought the world had for me. I had to let go of the idea of doing everything perfectly. I learned to live moment by moment. I learned to be grateful for the smallest things, even just being able to sit up or smile or hold my kids.

That time gave me a whole new way of seeing life. Now I try to live with more patience and more appreciation. I set better boundaries. I do not take simple joys for granted. And I try to create the same gentle, hopeful feeling in my art. That hard chapter ended up shaping me in the best way.

What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
One thing I really changed my mind about after failing hard is that failing is not actually failing. I used to think if something did not work out, it meant I was not good enough or I should have tried harder. But after everything I went through, I learned that saying no is okay, changing direction is okay, and falling apart for a moment is okay too.

Every time something did not go the way I wanted, I ended up learning something that helped me later. It might take time, but you always carry those lessons with you. You use them for the next thing, the next hurdle, the next surprise life throws at you.

Now I try to see it all as part of growing. I am not scared of trying things anymore because I know even if I fall on my face, I am still moving forward. I am still learning. I am still becoming someone stronger.

If you are in a season where everything feels like a setback, I hope you know you are not going backwards. You are gathering the things you will need for whatever comes next. And that is not failure at all. That is how we actually grow into who we are meant to be.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
A belief I used to hold tightly was that I had to act a certain way or look a certain way for people to like me. I thought if I showed the messy parts of myself, people would judge me or pull away. But life and everything I went through taught me the opposite.

Now I know I have to be myself, even when I feel imperfect or a little broken. I try to show kindness, honesty, and who I really am, because that is what draws the right people in. When you show up as your real self, you start to attract people who feel like your tribe, people who get you, support you, and see you for who you are.

It took me a long time to learn that being genuine is not a weakness. It is actually the thing that brings the best people into your life.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am painting and my chickens are running around my feet begging for food. There is something about that moment that feels grounding and simple. It reminds me that I am here, I am okay, and I get to do what I love.

I also feel peaceful whenever I am outside and the wind hits my face. After being bedridden indoors for three years, just stepping outside feels like a gift. Fresh air, sunlight, even the smallest breeze makes me feel grateful in a way I never understood before.

Those little moments are where I find my peace now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mamapandapainter.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/mamapandapainter
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mamapandapainter
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mamapandapainter
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mamapandapainter