dA love for everyone! #133

                                     

Tell us what defines you as a person.
I'm fairly passionate about everything in my life, from DeviantArt to my friends to my job. I'm hoping to dedicate my life to making life just a little bit better for people who live with mental illness, and founding mental-health is a step in that direction. I really love animals (sometimes more so than people, LOL!) and am passionate about human rights.


How did you find out about deviantART and why did you join the community?
I found out through friends; we were all making signature tags, and people were using art from DeviantArt to make their tags. (I know this is very wrong, and I have learned my lesson! This was about 12 years ago that it happened.) I ended up joining because I decided I'd rather make my own art than steal other people's.


When and how did you discover your passion for art?
I was maybe 3 or 4 years old, and I knew the proper name for every color of crayon in the Crayola box. I've always loved to draw, but I've never been any good at it! I didn't think I could actually be an artist until I discovered photomanipulation.



What inspires you the most and when do you think your creativity is at its maximum?
Honestly what inspires me most is looking at my old works and wanting to redo them, LOL! Stock inspires me a lot; I'll see a particular pose or setting and I start to get ideas. My creativity is at its maximum when I am manic (I have bipolar disorder) but that's a bad thing! I try to keep it under wraps. I find that creativity ebbs and flows.


What do you think you'd be doing if you hadn't chosen this path?
I'd be a doctor, probably a psychiatrist. In "real life," though, I'm not an artist; I am a social scientist with a Ph.D. in public health.


What do you think it's your most meaningful deviation and what makes it special? Does it have a story behind it?
I think I was being a bit emo and listening to too much Evanescence. But, this came around the time when I was having serious thoughts of suicide, and I think it's just about drowning yourself in sorrow. I am sorry it can't be a happier story! It is the most powerful and meaningful one I have, though.



Do you have any insecurities regarding your art?
Yes, all the insecurities! I know it's not perfect, and sometimes it's not even good. Basically I post it and hold my breath... I need to learn that it's not about how others feel about it, but rather how I feel about it that's important.


Did art ever helped you to deal with your life problems?
Yes! It is an escape for me, but it's also a way to put my problems in the back of my brain for a little while and then slowly think about answers.


What is the one thing you always wanted to do but never got a chance to?
Go to medical school.



A few words for our fellow artists?
You can do absolutely anything you set out to do! A key step is getting feedback from others in your community. Also, join mental-health to help join the discussion and raise awareness of mental health challenges!