Nerissa Balland

Nerissa Balland is a visual artist, award-winning author, speaker, and Therapeutic Arts Practitioner whose work explores what happens after life changes us—and how creativity can help us process what words alone cannot.

Diagnosed with cancer while five months pregnant, Nerissa initially focused on surviving. It was only later that she recognized survival and processing were two very different things. That realization led her to interview more than 100 young mothers facing cancer and ultimately became the foundation for Canvas of Courage: The Art of Healing, Hope, and Gratitude for Young Mothers Facing Cancer, winner of the 2026 NYC Big Book AwardŽ in Cancer.

Her work has since expanded beyond cancer to explore identity, adversity, creativity, meaning, and the often-overlooked space between getting through an experience and integrating what it changed. Her second book, The Curious Curator: The Art of Curiosity, Creativity & Discovery, brings those ideas into practical application through accessible creative practices that encourage readers to notice, explore, and reconnect.

With an MFA from Pratt Institute and advanced training in Therapeutic Arts, NLP, CBT, and REBT, Nerissa brings together nearly two decades of experience in art, design, and communication with evidence-informed creative practices.

Her work asks a deceptively simple question: What do you notice?