Chyna Wheatley
Miss Sugar Land 2014 brings healing and encouragement
through Hand to H.E.A.R.T., utilizing art restoration therapy
Sugar Land Magazine, Summer 2014
Written by Gail G. Collins
When Chyna Wheatley was crowned Miss Sugar Land 2014, she wore a
luminous, asymmetrical, beaded gown with chandelier earrings, and a winning
smile. Winning doesn’t always come on the first try, though. Wheatley’s
success was the culmination of experience and perseverance from entering six
competitions prior. “It was exciting to win, and the previous pageants prepared
me to compete,” Wheatley says. Winning Miss Sugar Land has qualified
Wheatley to vie for Miss Texas and Miss America.
Although pageant entrants are gorgeous, they are also well-rounded. They show off their fitness and
their talent; they stun in a gown and stand on platforms. Wheatley’s talent is art, painting on stage and
creating images that reflect her faith in overcoming odds. This led to the creation of Heal and Encourage
through Art Rehabilitation Therapy (H.E.A.R.T.) or Hands to H.E.A.R.T. Wheatley explains her aim, “Art
has a greater purpose, and I am called to raise awareness for domestic violence.”
Wheatley’s art was self-taught, until
winning acceptance to Mississippi
School of the Arts. Her family is rife
with athletes, but her grandmother,
an avid gardener, taught 8-year-old
Wheatley how to draw a flower,
blooming from a pot, on an Etch-aSketch. The child practiced until she
could do it perfectly. Then, she drew it
on paper, painted it, and gifted it to
her grandma. “That first picture is a
metaphor for the grounding and
growth required to sprout no matter
the circumstances,” Wheatley says. This same determination drives her art therapy.
Performance Art
Wheatley moved to Sugar Land to be near family and attend the Art Institute of Houston. She graduates
in December and is pursuing a degree in Interior Design. She wants to meld art and design to develop
recovery shelters for those abused both mentally and physically.
While at the Institute, Wheatley has played up her focus on domestic violence and art. Setting up an
easel in the lobby, she invites people to place their painted hands on a blank canvas, which creates a
natural exhibit. “These canvases have often become the background for other performance art,”
Wheatley says. “In this way, so many people have participated in portraying this art and creating
awareness.”
Both interactive and performance art has helped her introduce a difficult topic at churches, conferences,
schools, and charity events. Afterward, Wheatley talks about the psychological, emotional, and financial
circumstances the abused face and offers helpful literature. She works in conjunction with the National
Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Texas Council on Family Violence. Wheatley must address
groups, ranging from pre-school to high school. Art is also a way to tailor her message to these diverse
audiences.
Community Outreach
Events draw interest to her platform, and
Wheatley is engaged in a growing number: Court
Appointed Special Advocates for children; Houston
Area Women’s Center, adding the Fort Bend
location in coming months; Sugar Land Christmas
Tree Lighting; 12 Days of Christmas, which helps
families dealing with loss; the Sugar Land Chapter
of Jack and Jill of America, a mentorship program
for middle and high school students; plus Lunches
of Love 5K. One week after being crowned Miss
Sugar Land, Wheatley ran the race with her crown
perched on her head as an attention-getter,
bringing awareness to her cause.
Wheatley also holds the Clothesline Project, held by Wheatley, which is open to the public, but geared
to abuse victims. Wheatley stresses those suffering are learning to be victors. Blank T-shirts and paints
were made available to create a message on domestic violence. “These were hung on the clothesline to
dry with the idea to ‘air your laundry,’” Wheatley says. In a children’s workshop, she led participants in a
team building, self-esteem exercise. The children had to work together to draw their bodies on paper as
they saw themselves in 10 years. Wheatley says, “The message is: Reach your dreams and goals. Don’t
settle for situations related to domestic violence.”
Reigning Good Things
In the coming year, the pageant winner hopes to use her reign and public appearances to shine a
brighter light on this cause while expanding her personal venture, making Hands to H.E.A.R.T. a nonprofit. On her website she shares, “In my work, there are words - Words that make up sentences Sentences that form paragraphs - Paragraphs that shape stories. These are stories of my life and others
around me. Art is powerful, and I'd rather it speak for itself.” SLM
Gail G. Collins writes internationally for magazines and finds purpose in meeting and helping others
create awareness for earnest causes.