Artist Statement:
Mental health can be hectic. When I envision my own relationship with mental health, it manifests as something chaotic and confusing. A carnival of sorts. Carnival of the Mind is a series of digital illustrations that explores a fictitious carnival where mental health is always the main act.
My goal, always, is to create interesting, visually appealing narratives. Before even putting pen to paper, I take time to contemplate what it is that I want to convey. I mull over the different approaches I could take and which one would best elevate the piece. For this body of work, I decided to take the all too often stigmatized topic of mental health and approach it with a sense of whimsy. Many of the pieces hinge on clever word play. They take common metaphors and depict them literally. I also choose to create these images with a limited color palette. All illustrations are created using various shades of purple, teal, and white. The cool toned color palette creates striking imagery that elicits a tense yet dreamlike atmosphere.
Creating this body of work was in a sense, therapeutic for me. It was a great way to channel my anxieties as a graduating college student. My hope is that others can relate to this exhibition. That it will help dissipate the cloud of stigma around mental health and open the door to conversation.
