i’m fine

I don’t pretend to be a spokesperson for all who suffer from mental health issues, I can only talk on my own experience. There is a deeply rooted misconception that vulnerability shows weakness, this is far from the case. Like a ball of clay, we are thrown and shaped into the same sculpt over and over and expected to flourish.

If I had a penny for every time I was told to ‘man up’, well I wouldn’t be an artist. Especially amongst men, mental health is seen as a myth and is regularly swept under the carpet. Not only are these issues shunned into secrecy by society, it is estimated that 75% of people with mental health issues in England may not get access to the treatment they need. These statistics only get worse when looking at younger groups and minorities. Recently I began exploring my own mental health with my illustrations as a form of self therapy, while I realise I am lucky to have an outlet for my troubles, many do not. I wracked my brain for visuals, and broke my experience down into basic forms. I had to express fragility through shape and image, while retaining a sense of push and pull. Sunflowers have always been present in my life, and like a sunflower I realise that even the strongest stalk has to lean on its surroundings to prosper.