Category: Artwork Spotlight

Guest Post: Charlotte Amelia Poe

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date June 22, 2023

Today The Layered Onion has a guest post from poet and author Charlotte Amelia Poe. Charlotte Amelia Poe (they/them), like many of us with mental and chronic illness, has let life inspire their work, including experience as an autistic and nonbinary person.

I write. It’s how I make sense of the world.
Charlotte Amelia Poe

Without further ado, an intro from the writer:

I didn’t used to get migraines. That’s new. Well, not new, but it’s been maybe four years since all of this started and I don’t remember what it was like before. It’s strange how quickly your internal world shifts to accommodate some new horror, a pain you can’t escape from.

I write. It’s how I make sense of the world. I’ve always written, perhaps as an autistic person it always made more sense than the spoken word, writing can be precise and honest and sometimes brutal, sometimes healing. It’s a salve on a wound I don’t know how to close.

For one brilliant month, my migraine medication worked and I didn’t have migraines. But something else happened instead – a lack of sleep and a sudden overstimulation meant that I was writing all the time, poetry, prose, nonfiction, anything and everything. I stayed up for twenty four hours and wrote a book. It’s being published next year.

But the brilliant month ended, and the uncertainty returned. It’s difficult to plan for anything when you don’t know whether or not your head will be trying to kill you. The only thing I could do on the bad days was write on my phone, brightness turned way down low, tapping out every thought I had and trying to make it beautiful even as the darkness of the room seeped in and turned the air sour.

I do, completely, understand why people would drill holes into their skulls. I understand this about depression, I understand this about anxiety, and I understand this about migraines. The primal need for exorcism is something we cannot help but seek out, but it’s not the answer, as much as we would like it to be.

In the darkest room, an opening sentence that spawns a thousand words, or a line of poetry that twists into something brand new – that can be magic.

Creativity, perhaps, is. I write because I have to, because I’m possessed by all the demons of my life and I want to splurge it all onto the page and see if I can make sense of it all. In the darkest room, an opening sentence that spawns a thousand words, or a line of poetry that twists into something brand new – that can be magic.

And maybe, in lieu of medication that doesn’t work and trepanation that can’t be provided, we have to count on that instead. That magic.

So I do.

The migraines may never go away, I can’t find what causes them, there’s no rhyme or reason to it. But the creativity remains. The urge to create remains. It’s a scream into the void, loud against an aching head, but god, it might be the only real thing.

And I think it might be everything.

Charlotte Amelia Poe

–

Introducing this piece:

Content warning: Strong language.

trepanation

So I say –

“My head hurts.”

And I grit my teeth and I fold my fingers into my hair and I tug until maybe my scalp loosens a little and I can hear myself think again. I think if I buzzed off my hair then maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much, like maybe the throbbing above my right eye would dull a little and I could finally sleep.

(It’s been thirty six hours and the caffeine in the painkillers keeps me buzzing like a moth to the light streaming through the holes in my blackout curtains and I can’t sleep, I can’t sleep, I can’t sleep, but I can’t do anything else either and time is treacle slow and my tongue sticks to the inside of my mouth and I breathe in and out and bury myself further under the duvet, legs curled up to my chest and I want to scream but noise makes it worse and – )

I understand why people would take rocks to their skulls and carve a hole into themselves to let the demons out. The pressure release valve option seems so fucking appealing. I cannot touch my own skin, can only press my fist into my eye socket and wish I could scoop everything out and let it drip through my fingers until there was no pain anymore, no nothing, just the blessed emptiness and my head would be empty, and my eyes would be empty, and do you understand?

Try cold compresses, ice from the freezer wrapped in a washcloth and pressed to the side of my head and for a moment I don’t feel anything except the chill of numb and blessed relief. My pillow soaks through and the room is warm, so warm, three days of stuffy air and I’m breathing in my own fumes and I can’t stand up to open a window and my head hurts, I am trying to tell you that it hurts, I am trying to find language to describe the fact that it feels like I’m dying and there is nothing I can do except wait it out.

I think about stepping on broken glass. At least that bleeds. This isn’t red, isn’t liquid, there’s no colour or texture to any of this, just pounding, and I’m inside of myself and outside of myself all at once and I can hear somebody begging to be let out and I think it’s me, but it might be the demons, you know? And I can understand. Because being trapped here with me is a fucking nightmare, I understand that, I hate it too, but I don’t try to self-destruct every other day just to get my own way.

Unless the demons are me, in which case, I guess I do.

I can hear my sister’s children laughing and shrieking in the garden and I’m so happy they’re alive and that they’re not in pain but I also want them to just let me lay curled up in silence. Everything is so, so loud and I am flinching against the shuffle of my sheets as I shift my body from one side of the bed to the other, burying my face into the pillow until the nausea becomes too much and I have to lift my head again, the inside out bruising of my neck an extension of it all and I have googled this and Google says meningitis, and I don’t think I get meningitis every other day, but maybe.

See, you get kind of crazy with it.

You make all kinds of deals with any deity you can think of. You don’t even believe in anything except that time is cyclical and that this will happen again. But you still beg and hope and plead that this will stop and maybe this will be the last time it happens, maybe you won’t have to cancel plans and waste away in this fucking miasma of stale breath and old t-shirts.

So I say –

“My head hurts.”

And my mum says, “go lie down.”

And I do.

And after a while, it goes away. And for a little while I can bear to be in the light again.

But it comes back. The demons eat at me again and it hurts hurts hurts.

And then I must be quiet and still and dark.

And I don’t think people understand the cost of that. I am losing time. I am losing time. I am losing time.

–

Can’t get enough? Follow Charlotte Amelia Poe on Twitter @charlottepoe or Instagram @smallreprieves or on their website.

Or check out one of their books – available via links on their website. Charlotte Amelia Poe published How To Be Autistic in 2019, an honest memoir that shares a personal account of autism, mental illness, gender, and sexual identity.

This is a perspective we have to read. Thank you for sharing your story!

Tags @charlottepoe, @smallreprieves, author, autistic, Charlotte Amelia Poe, memoir, nonfiction, Poe, poet, Poetry, prose, writer

Artist Spotlight Artwork Spotlight

Artist Spotlight: Erin Smith Glenn

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date February 21, 2023

In the Artist Spotlight series of blog posts, The Layered Onion highlights an artist in the community. We’ll get a chance to learn more about each artist and their work. In this post, we are featuring Erin Smith Glenn (she/her). Erin is open about her mental health and how it impacts her work. Black history also greatly influences Erin – she illustrates its power in vivid colors.

Photo of the artist with The HAIRitage of Nina Simone.

Erin Smith Glenn is an associate professor of art, advisor of the Visual Arts Club, former vice president of the board for the Dayton Society of Artists, and proud alum of Central State University, Ohio’s only public HBCU (historically black college or university). She holds an M.F.A. from the University of Cincinnati with a concentration in 2D drawing and painting, working in a variety of media and mixed media. Erin has exhibited works in Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, Vermont, Texas, Virginia and Illinois, respectfully, including numerous solo exhibitions.

Recently, she was awarded Best in Show for her 4’x8’ painting in the “New Woman” art exhibit hosted collaboratively by the Pendleton Arts Center and the Clifton Cultural Arts Center, Cincinnati OH. Upon completion of the new CCAC building, a gallery in honor of Elizabeth Nourse (1859-1938) will be housed within the new CCAC. As a feature included in the Best in Show prize package, Erin as the inaugural exhibiting artist in this venue and has been invited to spend 3 months creating new work in Cincinnati’s only home established by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Elizabeth Nourse gallery will be dedicated primarily to women artists and is due to open early 2024.

Among Erin’s lifelong pursuits is to continually practice her artwork and overall creative experiences, vowing never to stop “growing as an artist and individual,” while always striving to instill this concept in her students and her three children, as she does within herself. The award stated above has already begun to provide students with opportunities to engross themselves in the art scene. Erin proudly stands on the shoulders of many while she strives to be that same catalyst for others.

Follow the gravitational pull within you that leads to a life of consistent growth and development through the pursuant act of creative imagination.

Erin Smith Glenn

What first drew you to art?

I have always been an artist. My first “masterpiece” was when I colored over the family portrait at the age of 3. 🙂 I soon realized that reproductions of this kind would not be suitable for a lifelong career, so I started drawing FROM the portraits instead of ON them. My first portrait sales were at the age of 11, and soon, I became addicted to this new lifestyle. But it began with many hours in the basement drawing from family photos, especially baby photos.

How would you describe your artistic style?

Realism with an emphasis on color theory, alternate use of the color palette, and a touch of fantasy.

What topics inspire you?

Black culture and every aspect of it, especially parenthood, joy, politics, and, more recently, mental health awareness in the Black community, which is only recently gaining traction in society.

The HAIRitage of Nina Simone by Erin Smith Glenn. Art and mental health. The importance of black mental health and black history. In Black history month and beyond. Simone was neurodivergent and likely bipolar. Neurodivergence needs to be recognized. — Erin Smith Glenn, *The HAIRitage of Nina Simone*. Acrylic paints by Royal Talens of North America. 2022.

What was the impetus behind The HAIRitage of Nina Simone?

I LOVE Nina Simone. My favorite quote by her is, “I’ll tell you what freedom is: no fear.” Because of her unwavering tenacity in speaking for and speaking up for Black people, I know I have a duty, a responsibility, as Simone says, to document the times. “For what is an artist if they do not document the times they are in?” I have now completed 2 of many pieces that will be part of the “FREE NINA SIMONE” series, for when her mental health suffered near the end of her life, lawyers manipulated her into signing over her fortune. Her family, to this day, does not receive royalties. I plan to protest this through my artwork until a change has been made.

HAIRitage is an intentional play on words that contains a world of meaning. What conversations does the piece spark?

Wow, so many conversations are rooted in the power of HAIRitage. In the past (15+ years ago), this was my way of reconnecting with my own hair and cultural roots, as it was rough for me growing up in conservative Ohio. This was my early protest against the injustices that loom within many communities concerning the perspectives, microaggressions, and misinterpretations often associated with Black hair. More recently, I have focused on celebrating short hairstyles and no hair, child-to-adult hair ritual ceremonies, adornment culture, and even the mental health associated with not knowing or even understanding one’s own attributes due to the deaf ears and blind eyes of the often critical mindset within American society.

What influenced your choice of colors? They really bring the pieces to life, and they stand out.

I typically work from black and white images, which often means removing saturation altogether from images before working from them. I love the idea of using colors to evoke more than just mood but also energy. Nina was a very dynamic figure, and so I wanted to create a piece (unlike the other piece I created of her in B&W) that felt like her energy from songs, lyrics, and influence was flowing from the artwork to the viewer. In a way, I also wanted to make her relevant to the current generations by showcasing her in a lively way, ultimately begging the question: “Who is/was Nina Simone?”

Golden Time of Day by Erin Smith Glenn. Mixed media - acrylic paint, acrylic yarn. Yarn art. — Erin Smith Glenn, *Golden Time of Day*. Acrylic paint and yarn, mixed media. 2022.

Applied with careful strategy and super glue. 😉

Vivid color is also true of the second piece we discuss today – Golden Time of Day. Did color speak to you for this piece?

Color was purely at the heart of this piece. I used this time as an image in color because I wanted to capture the various colors in the model’s lovely espresso-toned skin. Surrounding it with a sun-like halo against the “sunset violet” adds a nice contrast and makes her stand out against both the “sunrise” and the “sunset.” The Sunrise, in this case, represents the mindset that arises from the Sunset, the low, deep depression.

The piece is mixed media. What inspired you to incorporate colored yarn?

The yarn represents the tangling, the very unraveling of the mind as we go through life’s challenges. The facing upward in the painting portion of the work represents the “golden time” where the lyrics of the song by Frankie Beverly & Maze: “When you feel in your heart all the love you’re looking for…don’t it feel okay? There’s a time of the day when the sun’s going down…that’s the golden time of day.” I feel that whether we are rising for the day or falling to sleep, any time should be the golden time of day, especially mentally and spiritually.

You mentioned that Golden Time of Day is a mental health awareness piece – did that influence your inspiration?

As I faced the end of another academic year of teaching and some of life’s challenges surrounding being a divorced single mother of three with a demanding career, I suffered a nervous breakdown. Upon my healing journey, and with much support, good advice, healthcare and by taking back my power, I used that energy to curate “The Inaugural Women’s Mental Health & Trauma Art Exhibit.” This was the first time I displayed this piece in public, and it is one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever created. I plan to do more this summer, once I have the time and space to plan out another one that hits on this level.

How does mental health play into your artistic style?

I want to normalize mental health worldwide. Mental health and the awareness of it in both my hair-themed work and in my artistic lifestyle is a must; everyone deals with mental health much like we all eat, breathe, and live. So, yes, mental health is embedded in my work whether I realize it or not, whether I like it or not, and whether I try or not. After suffering much trauma throughout my life, I know that mental health awareness is part of my life’s mission and purpose, and that is very liberating for my family and me.

Do you have any takeaways you want the reader to have?

Trust your gut when it comes to creativity and life in general, but know when to fall back and take sound advice and counsel. You’ll thank yourself in the long run. And speaking of yourself in the long run, your latter self is looking at you now. Don’t disappoint them, so do what you gotta do, love; work on you for the sake of no one else but YOU.

Anything I missed asking that you would like to share?

Just an announcement. 🙂 I have a solo exhibit coming up called “HAIRitage: A Cultural Journey & Experience.” The exhibit opens at the Dayton Society of Artists on March 3rd, with an artist talk on March 11th and the grand closing reception on March 31st, my birthday! You can find more details on Facebook or at the Eventbrite link.

Erin Smith Glenn, *The HAIRitage of Lauryn Hill*. Colored pencil. 2018.

–

As we close in on the end of February, Erin gives us a perfect chance to celebrate Black history, mental health, and the incomparable Nina Simone. These pieces have power.

Erin brings the HAIRitage to life in living color. You can see more of Erin’s work on her Instagram @thescarvinartist in the first edition of The Shallot and available for purchase on her Etsy shop.

Thanks for sharing, Erin!

Tags acrylic, artist, Erin M Smith, Erin Smith Glenn, yarn

Artwork Spotlight

Artwork Spotlight: Michael Highway – Blanched

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date November 4, 2022

In the Artwork Spotlight series of blog posts, The Layered Onion highlights a specific work by an artist in the community. Artists with lived mental and emotional health challenges show the power of art for mental health. These works range from short stories to visual art, music, poetry, and more! Today, Michael Highway (he/him) shares his digital art.

Michael took the time to participate in a Q+A with The Layered Onion, but before we share the dialogue, here’s a little bit more about our artist:

Photo of the artist, Michael Highway. His digital art is inspired by his experiences with mental health. Exploring mental health through the arts. Art for mental health.

Michael Highway is a Toronto-based illustrator. Most of his works are digital, composed of various colour blocks and few lines, and often inspired by verse fragmentation thoughts from dreams.

Michael participated in a Q&A with The Layered Onion, further expanding on his work. Michael gives us some creative replies that make us think!

Michael Highway's Blanced. Art for mental health. — Michael Highway, *Blanched*. Digital. March 3, 2022.

What first led you to art?

Can’t remember exactly. I would say boring and nightmare.

How would you describe your artistic style?

The style is like something you’d see in a black room after a shower in the fall.

What are your favorite materials and mediums to work with?

It used to be acrylic, but now I think digital is fine too.

How do you approach digital art?

I found it convenient to draw on the Ipad without having to do a lot of prep.

Any advice for novices who want to dive into creating digital art?

Experimenting with different textures and brushes in digital painting is a lot of fun!

Where do you draw inspiration from?

From time to time, experimental ideas, dream fragments, and some unexpected and interesting things in life.

What inspired this piece?

I initially wanted to draw a cowboy with a line dress, with a smoky beard, balancing in a weird pose. But ultimately, it was all because I wanted to draw striped clothes.

The character has a spoon and a glass in their hands as they balance on one leg. Does this symbolize balance?

I tend to think that the atmosphere of the whole composition has balance.

Can you elaborate on that title/concept of balance?

We dance in the dark

The lines melt on us, the brilliance is fading

but it is ok

We are still in balance

Even with glass spoons and cups in hand

won’t break easily

Any questions I missed that I should have asked?

Did you have sweets today?

Em’s response: I am currently very fond of York mints – they stop you before you eat too many.

Readers – how about you? Whet the tastebuds with anything deliciously sweet? After all, it was Halloween this week.

Anything else on your mind?

A blue balloon turns into a purple sun at sunset.

–

Thanks for sharing, Michael! A lovely and thought-provoking conversation. Michael’s work is also included in the first version of The Shallot and you can see more of it on his website and Instagram.

Michael Highway's morning shower. Visual art display of living with mental health challenges. Art for mental health/ art and mental health. — Michael Highway, *morning shower*. Digital. 2022.

Tags artist, Digital, Michael Highway, michighway

Artwork Spotlight

Artwork Spotlight: Éloïse Armary’s Pink Goo

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date October 28, 2022

In the Artwork Spotlight series of blog posts, The Layered Onion highlights a specific work by an artist in the community. Artists with lived mental and emotional health challenges show the power of art for mental health. These works range from short stories to visual art, music, poetry, and more! This is art that explores mental health. Today, Éloïse (Loulou) Armary (she/they) will share her upcoming poetry collection, Pink Goo.

Éloïse took the time to participate in a Q+A with The Layered Onion, but before we share the dialogue, here’s a little bit more about our artist:

Éloïse “Loulou” Armary is a French poet who writes about mental health, neurodiversity, social and climate issues, memories, queerness, and the strangeness of daily life. She is the co-host of the podcast Poetry to your Ears. Loulou is based in Brighton, UK. Pink Goo is their first poetry collection.

Éloïse participated in a Q&A with The Layered Onion, expanding further on her work:

LouLou's book uses poetry to interact with her anxiety and depression. The book shows the power of Art and mental health. Describes mental health challenges and their toll.

Pink Goo is a collection of poems that explore what mental health is to Éloïse and the reality of living life in today’s world.

It is about a spiral down to anxiety and depression and the following journey to find peace. After trying to shed light on social injustice, sexual harassment, and the climate collapse, the poet finds herself in the darkness and explores many corners within herself, rough and soft. In the deep furrows of her mind, Éloïse finds a white canvas on which she paints with colours to lift her spirit while allowing nuances of grey to tell the depth of reality.

These poems aid the reader who wants to scream but doesn’t find the words. They are a balm to spread on trauma wounds. They care for the soul after a storm.

You are releasing a poetry collection, Pink Goo. Congratulations! My first question – how did you come up with the name?

Thank you! The title poem is a metaphor for my anxiety. I wrote it during a challenge I set for myself to write 21 poems in 21 days in December 2021. I got stuck mid-way through the challenge and started exploring unusual images. I loved that poem, people I read it to loved that poem. The name stuck with me. I knew my poetry collection would be named Pink Goo before I knew what else would be in it.

Title poem of Pink Goo - art that explores mental health, anxiety, and depression. Poetry. Describes mental health challenges and their toll. Art and mental health/ art for mental health.

What topics do you explore in Pink Goo?

Pink Goo is everything mental health. It starts as anger against social injustice, eco-anxiety, and sexual trauma, then delves into chronic anxiety and depression. It’s a quest about my neurodivergent identity, an expression of moments of sensory overload, meltdowns, and anxiety attacks. It has a pamphlet about bipolar disorder, which is close to me. Mostly, it’s about how to find acceptance and where I dig up peace.

What first led you to poetry?

I started writing poetry as an extended form of journalling in high school. Sometimes, my emotions were so strong writing them in prosaic words didn’t feel right. I started skipping words to express myself faster and playing with images to articulate my feelings in a way that sounded true.

Where do you gather your inspiration from?

I am inspired by the intensity of my emotions, which is what I mainly write about. I draw into images of nature, colors, and senses to express how I feel. I recently started rooting myself in a community of poets and find endless inspiration from poets I know who I find so talented.

What are your favorite topics to write about?

I write about mental health, neurodiversity, and social and climate issues. I don’t really choose to write about these topics; I feel more like I have to in order to expel the intensity of my emotions. Lately, I am enjoying delving into topics of memories and queerness, exploring alternative realities, and writing based on senses rather than thoughts.

You also have a podcast, “Poetry to Your Ears” – what kind of topics do you cover? Where can folks go if they are interested in checking it out?

My co-host Tom and I interview contemporary poets and read out poems we find that tell of something new and meaningful. Our byline is ‘We celebrate poetry the way it is done today,’ because our podcast is not a poetry course that studies the theoretical structures of poetry. We don’t read the famous dead poets studied in school.

We found out that most poets we talked with didn’t like poetry before they [started] writing poetry. We want to know who writes poetry, what they write about, and what it can tell us about more significant subjects. When I say write, I also mean perform, since we feature many spoken word artists! We platform a diversity of poets from different backgrounds, especially marginalised ones. All the links to listen are here: www.linktr.ee/poetrytoyourears.

You are French, but you write in English. Why is that?

The first poems I wrote were in French, but when I met with my partner, who is British, I started writing poems in English. I loved the distance between the words and my thoughts and the easy wordplay that wasn’t constrained by the rules and rigidity in French that I inherited from school.

English being my second language, I make some mistakes that turn out to be poetic, which I can use as the base of a poem. I write a little bit of bilingual poetry, but since I moved to Brighton, UK, I found it hard to share it with an English-speaking audience. I want to explore bilingual poetry more, though.

–

Mental health, social topics, and the climate crisis are deep concepts that take a lot out of all of us living in 2022. “Goo” is the perfect word to describe that feeling of being stuck, of fighting your way forward.

Éloïse is selling Pink Goo on The Layered Onion shop – be sure to check it out! You can catch up with Éloïse and their work on Instagram @eloisearmary.

Tags Book, Éloïse, Eloise, Eloise Armary, eloisearmary, Loulou, LouLou Armary, LouLou.docx, Pink Goo, poet, Poetry, writer

Artwork Spotlight

Artwork Spotlight: Encaustic Journals with Andi Dees

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date October 17, 2022

In the Artwork Spotlight series of blog posts, The Layered Onion highlights a specific work by an artist in the community. Artists with lived mental and emotional health challenges show the power of art for mental health. These works range from short stories to visual art, music, poetry, and more! This is art that explores mental health. Today, Andi Dees (she/her) will share her encaustic journals and process.

Andi took the time to participate in a Q+A with The Layered Onion, but before we share the dialogue, here’s a little bit more about our artist:

Andi is a visual artist working in the realms of encaustic painting and pottery (sometimes together). With 23 years of clay experience and 15 years of encaustic experience, she has a lot going on. Currently, Andi is working on encaustic-covered journals, which are hand-bound with tea-stained paper.

Before talking with Andi, I wasn’t familiar with encaustic work – man, is it remarkable! The word encaustic refers to a painting technique using hot wax mixed with pigments. In a painting, the result is similar to oil paint – the work is bright and enhances expressive brushwork. Using hot wax can be challenging, as monitoring temperature needs to become part of your process.

Andi participated in a Q&A with The Layered Onion, expanding further on her work:

Encaustic journal or encaustic journals by Andi Dees. Andi's are available on Etsy. Mental health through the arts. Shows the power of art for mental health/ art and mental health.

What first led you to art?

My family is full of artists. It was something that came naturally to me as a child, and I just built on those natural abilities as I got grew up. I still take classes all the time. I am a perpetual learner.

How would you describe your artistic style?

I think it depends on the medium I’m using. When it comes to painting, whether it is watercolor, encaustic, acrylic, oils, etc., I tend to be more abstract and loose (something that took me years to accept after doing realistic drawing and painting for a long time). The tediousness and OCD of perfection went away, thankfully. In clay/pottery, I am very “tight;” everything must be smooth and perfect. Abstract in clay is very hard for me. I like clean lines and designs.

What are your favorite materials and mediums to work with?

I think my favorite materials are clay and encaustics. As a potter, clay is a given. In encaustics, I use a multitude of mixed media – the hot wax, of course, but also paper clay, colored shellac, alcohol inks, oil paint, and paper.

What is an encaustic journal?

An encaustic journal is a handmade journal with an encaustic cover. I make my own encaustic medium, so the wax mixture is harder when it dries and resists dents and dings better than the manufactured encaustic medium. I use fancy papers for the back cover and inside cover and bind the watercolor paper signatures by hand with a Coptic stitch.

How did you first get started making these?

I started encaustic painting about ten years ago and found that I really enjoyed the creative process. Another encaustic artist, a friend of mine, did encaustic journals a little differently, and she showed me some examples of hers. She used purchased journals and did the encaustic on the covers. Of course, I had to be a little more technical and do the binding myself. LOL.

What is your favorite part of the textile process?

It’s more of a mixed-media process. I think my favorite part is the design process. Coming up with the wax backgrounds and building from that.

What unique elements do you add to your journals? People seem to get very creative!

I have a lot of found objects, animal bones, teeth, and paper-clay-molded objects to choose from. So coming up with different themes for covers always excites me. I tend to make them more on the creepy side of things. Anything that is a little off or makes people think, “hmmm.” I’ve used cigarette package images from England with rotten teeth to owl pellet bones to 3-D paper clay forms painted with watercolors.

How long does it take to make a journal on average?

It’s a long process that involves a lot of different steps. Generally, with the design, the wax background steps, additions, painting, signature making (paper cutting, folding, and hole punching), and then papering the covers. It takes about 2-3 hours a day for about four days to complete.

Inside pages. Encaustic journal or encaustic journals by Andi Dees. Andi's are available on Etsy. Mental health through the arts. Shows the power of art for mental health/ art and mental health.

Anything else on your mind?

I think if you’re an artist of any kind, having a dedicated space is crucial to it being your happy place. I also feel that if I am having a really bad day, I don’t force myself to be creative. I just walk away with the understanding that with my mental and physical health diagnoses, it’s just not the day for it. So instead of making art, I watch Youtube videos on bookbinding, watercolor tutorials, or even just Ask a Mortician. Anything that is interesting to me and non-taxing mentally or physically. Taking care of your whole being is most important, and knowing that there are days that will not be easy. It is just a matter of taking a step back to take care of yourself first. Tomorrow may be better. Maintaining an attitude of acceptance is what keeps me grounded in my art. It’s important, so I don’t force it.

–

Anyone else want their own encaustic journal? You can see more of Andi’s work on her website, Cloudbusting Worx. Thanks for sharing your work and designs, Andi!

Tags Andi Dees, encaustic, encaustic journal, visual art

Artwork Spotlight Home Spotlight

Artwork Spotlight: Yas Martinez – “Untitled”/ “I’m sorry I am trying”

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date October 5, 2022

In the Artwork Spotlight series of blog posts, The Layered Onion highlights a specific work by an artist in the community. Artists with lived mental and emotional health challenges show the power of art for mental health. These works range from short stories to visual art, music, poetry, and more! This is art that explores mental health. Today, Yas Martinez (she/her) will be sharing her piece “Untitled” or “I’m sorry I am trying.”

Yas took the time to participate in a Q+A with The Layered Onion, but before we share the dialogue, here’s a little bit more about Yas:

Photo of the artist, Yas Martinez. Her art is inspired by her experiences with mental health. Exploring mental health through the arts.

Yas is a self-taught artist based in southeast London who also splits time in Spain. Yas is proud of her Spanish heritage. She works with ink, clay, and charcoal, using her lived experience as a key theme within the art.

Yas participated in a Q&A with The Layered Onion, expanding further on her work:

Yas Martinez, I’m sorry I am trying or Untitled. Air-drying clay and acrylic paint. January 2021.

What first drew you to art?

I’ve always been a big fan of art. I was really lucky as a child; my grandparents worked at the national gallery and took me to work with them, and I’d sit with all the amazing paintings. I fell in love with Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.

Following that, I’ve always been drawing and doodling. I’m never without a sketchbook in my handbag – it’s the only thing that I feel like really allows me to “talk” about how I’m feeling.

What is the name of this piece?

It doesn’t actually have a name. It was an experiment that I love! I think if I were to name it now, I’d call it ‘I’m sorry I am trying.’

How did you create the wording and lettering on the pot? I like the remnant of squares around the letters.

I use a little box of hand stamps to make the lettering. It’s possibly one of the best impulsive buys I’ve made!

Thank you, I like that, too! When I started making the lettered pieces of work, I was getting so frustrated trying to get rid of the remnant squares and make the wording straight. When I got rid of the remnants of squares, I didn’t like the work as it was too precise and time-consuming. I like to get the words down quite quickly; otherwise, I sort of separate from what I’m trying to say, and then I pick it apart.

The ombre of blue is gorgeous. How did you select your colors and bring this piece to life?

I don’t actually know how I got to using blue. There are around 60 pieces in this series now, all made using cobalt blue and cerulean blue, and I still don’t think I’ve worked out why!

I dilute the colours down with water and just wash the colour on. It is a pretty messy affair! I usually make these pieces when I’m not feeling at my best. I think the layering of the watery colours helps me get rid of some of the nervousness or upset that I’m feeling.

The colours just calm me. It kind of makes my head feel less claustrophobic. I’ve been told it’s like looking at the sky when people look at my work, and I like that.

Can you describe the process you used to create a piece like this?

I spend a lot of time walking and thinking (possibly stomping). I like to let my mind wander and try to think about how I can summarise these feelings. I sort of take myself away from people and get right down into the dark place so I’m honest with myself. Then when I get the right words in my head, I rush to write them down so as not to forget them. When I’m ready, I wash my canvases with blue watercolour and stamp away. I’m not precious about it – it’s kinda like spitting out a tasteless bit of gum.

What mediums do you work with?

I mainly work in charcoal and ink. I like the foggy quality they have. Charcoal is also super great to blend with if you feel like you’re making mistakes. They sort of have a mind of their own, and I like that.

I also really enjoy working with clay and printing.

How would you describe your art?

Oh, wow. I’ve been spending a long time thinking about this, and I keep coming back to morbid!

A lot of it is heavy, but it’s a reflection of how I feel when I’m feeling depressed, anxious, or just full of self-hate. It’s quite sad, really, but I feel so much clearer and lighter once I’ve made a piece.

I think by spending time making, I’m processing and really thinking about how I’m feeling, which actually makes me feel more confident. It’s my therapy – I am such a firm believer in making to better your mental health!

Although, if you look at my collage work, they’re really fun, I think, and I love that I have an area of work that helps me daily – one that just brings me pure fun!

Yas Martinez, Take me to a place I’ll love. Collage on A3 heavyweight paper.

How do you approach starting a piece?

I’m not really sure. I know when an idea or feeling barges into my head, I splurge it onto a canvas or piece of paper. I don’t typically plan what I’m doing; I just go for it and I won’t start another piece until one is finished.

That’s too much chaos for me!

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I love the blue collection and the backdrop it provides to thoughts. Yas tells us that it is okay to have thoughts and we are the better for processing together. Thank you for sharing, Yas! You can see more of Yas’ work on her website!

Tags Pottery, Stamps, Yas Martinez

Artwork Spotlight

Artwork Spotlight: Luna Hao – “Moon Phase” Photography Series

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date October 3, 2022

In the Artwork Spotlight series of blog posts, The Layered Onion highlights a specific work by an artist in the community. Artists with lived mental and emotional health challenges show the power of art for mental health. These works range from short stories to visual art, music, poetry, photography, and more! This is art that explores mental health. Today, Lingxue (Luna) Hao (she/her) will be sharing several images from her project “Moon Phase: The Moments Between Wax and Wane.”

Before we delve into the art, a little more about Luna:

Photo of the artist, Luna Hao. Her art is inspired by her experiences with mental health. Exploring mental health through the arts. Lingxue (Luna) Hao

After working as a food photographer for two years, Luna turned her focus to telling stories through the camera. She prefers photographic books to display her work; she is very experienced in making handmade books. She is particularly interested in finding beauty from the ordinary and mundane and creating a virtual diary based on everyday love, loss, and reflection.

Luna’s work Moon Phase is split into chapters consisting of photographs.

Luna Hao, It Seems Flat. Photograph.

She describes it as:

“Moon Phase: The Moments Between Wax and Wane is an interpretation of depression through the art of photography. My photographs explore my own experiences with this invisible disease. They represent the torment and pain that I navigate with major depression. They also record my constant struggle with mental health. This body of work is a visual diary about a depressive patient I created as a photographer. The process of photographing and editing this project is also the process by which I find a productive way to communicate with the outside world. My work aims to help those who may be indirectly impacted by depression to understand mental illness more comprehensively and establish an accurate portrayal of this very real concern. We live in a society where people still hold prejudices against those with mental health issues and misunderstand them. My photos invite viewers to raise awareness and support for the people around them who struggle with this widespread issue.”

Luna participated in a Q&A with The Layered Onion, expanding further on the project:

What first drew you to art?

My answer may be disappointing…I never had a moment like: oh, I really want to be an artist. In college, my major was commercial photography, and I worked as a food photographer for almost two years. The two years’ experience made me HATE the commercial industry because I was just a copy machine…As a result, I decided to get an MFA degree to see if there is another possibility to take photos in a less painful way. So, I would describe my engagement with art as gradual. At the same time, to be honest, I never thought I would get to where I am today.

How would you describe your artistic style?

I think I would be thinking more about my artistic style as “old-fashioned,” but all my friends and classmates said that my work is contemporary. As a photographer, I almost only use film and other darkroom materials as my creative base. I’m pretty much adamant about just “taking pictures” without heavy-handed postproduction if there are no special needs so that our creative space itself is more narrow than other art media (In theory).

Luna Hao, Run Away. Photograph.

This strip photo is actually part of one image. You may see a four-part on my website under the series “Run Away,” I use one roll of film as one image. One roll of film documents one driving experience. It’s 5 am in this one. When I feel really insecure and upset, I have a (dangerous) habit where I go out and drive randomly.

What is your favorite part about working with photography? What’s the most challenging part?

I guess it’s the part of freezing a moment and making it permanent, pausing. I always really like the idea of “When you take the next photo, you are recording the moment of death, but this action of yours makes that moment eternity.” As for the most challenging part, I think it’s the limitations inherent in the format of photography. Most photographers’ creations rely on cameras or other devices or materials that can respond to light.

Can you tell us more about the Moon Phase project? What do the different chapters signify?

Moon Phase is documenting my struggle with major depression. It originated when I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder in 2017. My parents refused to accept that, even though they were well educated. They refused to believe that mental illness has a real need for medical treatment to help. I’ve always been tongue-tied, so I wanted to build a channel of communication using the methods and mediums I’m good at, to try and make them understand my pain. Later, through my own experience, I felt that I must not be in this predicament, so I began to think about developing it into a series to tell the public a complete story of a depressed patient from my perspective.

Later, it became a visual diary. During the shooting process, I found that my mental state had obvious staged changes, which is why I divided them into three chapters. The first chapter was created without any doctor or medication and was more simply showing my chaotic and disordered state of mind and life. The second chapter was shot while I was just officially receiving regular medical help, and its content shows my unstable and confused mental state that has been up and down during this time. The third chapter was shot in a relatively stable state of mind, more about a state in which I coexisted with depression and was relatively balanced.

When did you create this series?

It started in the fall of 2018, and I ended it in the spring of 2021.

Luna Hao, Red Leaves. Photograph.

Your use of color is spectacular. How do you get the colors to stand out so boldly?

In fact, I really did not deliberately do systematic research and arrangement on color and color theory. However, I did deliberately look for some objects in my mind that better reflect my mental and psychological state during the shooting process. And one of the main things I use to judge whether it’s the subject I want is by its color. In my creations, I always feel that color is the main element, an element that I need to be very careful of and pay extra attention to. In addition, I think it has something to do with my former identity as a food photographer, which may have been tempered in my previous work.

The above photo is a special one. I used photoshop to change all the green leaves to red to recreate the view I saw when I was heavily sick. I found out that sometimes the color and view change for some depression patients. For me, it sometimes looks like this, so I created it to let others know about this symptom.

There was also an installation – what was it like to set that up? Was it interesting to see how people interacted with the work?

Honestly, when I set up my solo exhibition, it was a painful and tangled process, but I liked how it turned out. I didn’t want it to be presented in a traditional, framed, row-by-row format from the start, which I felt would kill the intimacy that this project has always had. I always want to leave some room for reflection and doubt for the audience, so rather than telling a story with a clear image, I wanted to create an atmosphere. While viewers understand the basic logic and premise, they can fill in their own experiences and thinking.

As for whether it’s fun to watch people interact with the work, I’d say it’s more of a feeling of movement and satisfaction. Because this set of works was created during my entire MFA study, I went through countless critiques and questioning processes, including a lot about what this set of works really means and why people should care about someone getting sick unpleasant experience. So this project ended up in an exhibition format. When people tell me they find the set meaningful or they find it resonant; I feel like it’s not a waste of time and effort.

Anything I missed asking that you would like to share?

I’m not sure if I’ve managed to do that, but in my creative process, I’ve been hoping and trying not to make the series feel like a pain to “stay away” from the audience. I understand that depression itself is painful and messy. Still, I was actually afraid that images like this would scare the audience away, so on balance, I chose to use another, milder style to show the disease. At the same time, I feel that this work itself has a self-healing effect for me that I did not expect. I felt that throughout the process of creating it, it seemed to separate out the pain in my head and give me an opportunity to look at my own situation objectively.

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For those that read this blog regularly, you know I’m a fan of color. Luna’s colors stand out and draw me in. Thank you for sharing this series, Luna! You can see more of Luna’s work on her website.

Tags Lingxue Hao, Luna Hao, photography

Artwork Spotlight

Artwork Spotlight: Lauren E. Allen’s “Multitudo”

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date September 16, 2022

In the Artwork Spotlight series of blog posts, The Layered Onion highlights a specific work by an artist in the community. These works range from short stories to visual art, music, and more! Today, Lauren E. Allen (she/her) will share her work “Multitudo,” a unique piece of layered photography.

Before we delve into the art, a little more about Lauren:

Currently residing in Denton, Texas, Lauren E. Allen graduated Cum Laude from Texas Woman’s University in 2014 with a concentration in photography before enrolling in the University of North Texas to pursue a master’s degree in 2021.

Lauren’s work focuses on translating and reconstructing memories of their experiences as a neurodivergent person. She utilizes abstracted photographic imagery and fiber structures, and viewers are forced to confront ideas of weakness, fragility, and disposability while experiencing familiarity.

Lauren participated in a Q&A with The Layered Onion, expanding further on the work:

Lauren E. Allen, “Multitudo.” Photograph(s). Summer 2022.

What medium did you use?

This piece is two photographs that were digitally manipulated and turned into one. I shot the original images on Cinestill 120 film.

When you are photographing, what do you find most inspiring? Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I have two main streams of consciousness when shooting. The first one is a purely intuitive one, where I walk around with my camera and just fire. The other is specific imagery that my brain suggests to me when studying neurodivergence or recalling my experiences that I then recreate to be able to capture.

How would you describe your artistic style (today)?

I always hesitate to assign words to my artistic style because I want the freedom to move between aesthetic choices. However, there are words I consistently chase when making art that I hope will come to people’s minds when they see my work. The words ethereal, dreamy, and surreal always float around during my process.

How did you set up the overlay?

I use a third-party service that develops and scans all of my film. I then sort through the shots and pair up pieces that I think complement each other or would like to be together. They are then manipulated in photoshop to create a singular digital image. The digital manipulation of the film images lets me control what parts of the image are more apparent. Still, I am very dedicated to keeping what I like to call film surprises.

I love that phrase – “film surprises” – do you have an example of this, or can you elaborate on the concept?

Because I use vintage and toy cameras, there is a lot of variety of what can happen during the shooting process. Using double and sometimes triple exposures also heavily alters what the film can maintain, which can create a lot of really surreal imagery. I also love to use expired film when available, which physically alters the chemistry to be a bit unpredictable.

Can you describe the camera you used and what period it is from? I don’t think I understood the full impact of vintage/toy cameras, and it sounds very cool!

The world of film photography is really diverse and rich, with a lot of people fighting to keep the processes alive. I use a variety of cameras, but my heavy hitters are below with a brief description:

Holga camera: These are the cream of the crop toy cameras. They are inexpensive plastic cameras known for the inherent defects that become a part of them, like light leaks, etc. Mine is quite old and dying, so it gives me a lot of washy blurred imagery.
Arrow camera: This is another plastic toy camera. I purchased mine from an estate sale. It’s probably from the 60s.
I use a lot of Kodak Brownie six-20 cameras which were discontinued in 1956. I was able to score a large batch of these in an estate sale.
My favorite camera is a 1947 Kodak Duaflex camera. It’s in amazing condition and takes just the most dreamy shots.

“Multitudo” has one shot from the Holga and the other from the Arrow.

I think the placement of the tree leaves over the eyes is quite powerful. Is there a message you were looking to convey?

Ideas of displacement within my life inspired this particular piece and its original two parts. Sometimes I feel like I’m experiencing two different realities that have been compacted together. The figure exists between that place of literal ground and sky and that mental grey area.

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Lauren’s work “Spiritus” was featured in The Shallot and The Layered Onion’s exhibition at Hodge Podge. You can see more of Lauren’s photography on her Instagram – @leallen_art!

Tags Lauren Allen, Lauren E. Allen, leallen_art, photography

Artwork Spotlight

Artwork Spotlight: SILENTSTORYTELLER_ART – Dheeraj Kumar’s “Body Vases”

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date September 14, 2022

In the Artwork Spotlight series of blog posts, The Layered Onion highlights a specific work by an artist in the community. These works range from short stories to visual art, music, and more!

Today, Dheeraj Kumar (he/him) will share several images from his project “Body Vases.” Before we delve into the art, a little more about Dheeraj:

Born in 1991, Dheeraj hails from Muzaffarpur, Bihar; a trained fashion designer turned photographer and artist. Dheeraj is inspired by artists like Frida Kahlo, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Henry Moore. He aspires to define his approach toward life, beauty, and art with his lenses.

Dheeraj draws from his own experiences of the human body to represent it untethered by the burden of rigid gender conventions imposed by society and his own cultural upbringing. Anonymous male bodies are a constant motif in his art. He uses the body as a canvas over which he experiments by superimposing different styles of ornamentations – ranging from botanical floral drawings to masks and markings inspired by the art of Rangoli. Through elaborate staging and meticulous contortions, he exposes the landscapes of the human body and the many hidden nooks and crannies that carry traces of untapped and concealed emotions. The body becomes the subject and the object in his work – rendered into abstraction. Reminiscent of organic rocks and boulders but still retaining its ‘human-ness’ in an unsettlingly intimate way that provokes the viewer’s primal instinct to touch and experience the sensory pleasure of bare skin.

Dheeraj participated in a Q&A with The Layered Onion, expanding further on his artistry and the work:

What first drew you to art?

Since childhood, as I remember during summertime, all the ladies in the family used to sit in a circle and work on different frames of bedsheets. I remember my mother buying a plain saree and then making flowers of her own choice in them. Henna (Mehandi) is a wonderful way to show creativity on your hands. So, I grew up seeing these things, and after a certain age, people used to ask me to make flowers for them or mehandi during their weddings.

How would you describe your artistic style?

My work is mostly around male bodies and botanical florals, taking inspiration from nature and describing them in my own way. My style of work is – mixed media. I would call it – PHOTO PAINT. So, as a photographer, I take pictures of the elements which inspire me. By painting subjects around them, I create my own world with it. You can also call it – PHOTO COLLAGE WORK.

What are your favorite materials and mediums to work with?

I work with photo prints of my photos, watercolors, and pencil colors. Recently, I started working with acrylics too. I Love to paint late at night when the whole world is sleeping. Usually, I already have my doodles ready in my diary, which I draw in instantly whenever new ideas or thoughts come to my mind. So, it becomes easy for me to choose my elements. Otherwise, most of the time, while working with collage, you put things in and see how it works. Sometimes, I leave them lying for sometimes a few days. I keep staring at them, and then I glue them unless I am super convinced about the placements and the whole composition.

What inspired your work on Body Vases?

So, flower vases are the most common motif in our society. We call it “GULDASTA.”

I remember loving them since my childhood. When I started working on the Anonymous body series, I wanted to create still life in my own contemporary form with Male nudes as a subject. While working with Male Nude bodies, my body of work went more and more abstract. After a point, they look like pieces of rocks or meat. So, to add value to them, I thought of adding nature elements – flowers, leaves, roots. Most of these have been collected during my photo walks.

Can you tell us more about Body Vases?

To me, the body is my main subject. Most of my artworks are about – gender, body, sexuality. Male bodies are the center of my work. When I started working on the Body vases series, I thought of adding both of my main subjects together as a single element. So that’s where –

BODY VASES HAPPENED.

Male nude bodies/anonymous bodies arranged with flowers on top look like flower vases. Some of these bodies have been painted with turmeric during the shoot to give an idea of painted body vases. Working on anonymous bodies was a self-exploring experience for me. It was an experiment of making STILL LIFE, where I tried to make bodies anonymous without faces. I realized the bodies were transforming and getting into abstract forms. I started playing, and I explored bodies in various forms and shapes. Once I place the dried leaves, flowers, and hand-painted botanical drawings on top of it, I started enjoying the process. Picking your favorite flowers from the garden and streets and arranging them into a flower vase.

When did you create this series?

I have been working on this series for five years now. Lockdown gave me more time to collect, press, and dry flowers. The idea started with still life, adding bodies and flowers on top of them. During this process, I learned you could keep on adding flowers to vases. Sometimes you have to stop and say, this is a complete artwork now. While adding details to leaves and flowers, you keep on adding and adding more. Sometimes, it is not required. I also tried making the artworks more minimal, where just one big leaf gives the idea of a complete flower vase. Keeping body vases monochrome and adding colors to the flowers gives a clear picture of still life, empty vases filled with colorful flowers in them.

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The contrast and color inform the pieces. You can check out more of Dheeraj’s work at @silentstoryteller_art on Instagram. He also has some works available in The Layered Onion shop and as part of The Shallot. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, Dheeraj!

Tags collage, Dheeraj Kumar, mixed media, photography, silentstoryteller_art

Artwork Spotlight

Art Spotlight: Gabriel G Torres’ Haus of Dust

Post author By The Layered Onion Staff
Post date August 23, 2022

Note: Be advised there is potentially triggering content in this piece on drugs and overdose.

In the Art Spotlight series of blog posts, The Layered Onion highlights a specific work by an artist in the community. These works could range from short stories to visual art, music, and more!

Today, Gabriel G Torres (they/them) is sharing their show and game from their multi-faceted project Haus of Dust. Before we delve into the project, a little more about Gabriel in their own words:

“I am [a] community artist, catalyst, and interdisciplinary director from Colombia. I have engaged and created works in Colombia, Hong Kong, and New York City, where I live now. I am currently interested in the intersection of community-based practices and storytelling. How can we create powerful stories that go beyond representation? And how do we use such stories as [a] catalyst to engage and aid the communities we represent?”

Haus of Dust is a layered project with many elements. Check out this video from Gabriel to see part of the installation and learn more about the game. Gabriel gives more detail on the projects below as well.

Gabriel participated in a Q&A with The Layered Onion, expanding further on the installation and game:

Tell us a little about yourself. What first drew you to art?

One of my aunts is a musician. From an early age, I was taught violin. Nonetheless, I am very bad at it… I was always taught of art’s ability to transform the world and make it a better place. To me, culture has always been the only way I can express the weirdness, the oddness, the alienation I’ve felt. Over time, I’ve used it as a conduit to release and heal what I know I need to surrender to expand and grow as a human!

What is the background on the Haus of Dust project? What’s the story of the installation?

In the installation, we are invited to the Abysm, a bar between the living and the dead, where a goddess, MC, has curated an open mic with souls who died of “*Trigger Warning* overdose. These souls tell us their stories before they are able to transcend. A houseless man struggling with meth, an indigenous goddess who has been abducted, a Dominican shaman cleaning the coca leaves from the dust, and a young man who calls themself Dust, ephemeral and galactic. After we hear their stories, we find out they are written by a boy trying to cope with his trauma. Then, the souls tell us how they were created to be invited into a ritual for healing.

What inspired you to create?

I had currently gone through an overdose… I had tried outpatient programs, and nothing was working for me. The only thing that was left (in my mind) was utilizing poetry and artistic expression to release what I didn’t know how to release.

What was it like to stage the installation?

God, this was… a journey. It was supposed to be a theatrical show, but covid-19 happened, and we had a residency, so we were like…. Hmmm, maybe we can explore this as an installation, and we did. It took us three days non-stop, four designers and myself, eating pizza and working.

The costumes and visuals are striking. What goal did you all have in mind?

An ethereal poetic morphing lyrical ghost story, flowers, symbols of the magical land where I come from, and the world within us all. Light as the essence that makes us who we are, galactic spatial magical dust shining through sharp light.

Haus of Dust is also a game. Tell us more about the idea and game objectives.

Yes! As the project developed, we also wanted to deal with how to help people struggling with substances who [to give them an alternative to reaching out for] access the substance.

What’s the science behind the game and experience?

Joshua Friedman, a Ph.D. student and researcher from Columbia University, was talking to me one day about the wheel of awareness, a method Dan Siegel created for sensory learning. We took on the research and, with Raghav Bashyal (Developer) and Juan Daniel Velazques (Artist), created a series of mini-games with the prompt: “If you were about to reach out to your dealer, could you play something in your phone instead?” We conducted initial research as an improvement of the outpatient program at The LGBT Center with very positive results.

You can find more on the science behind the game here.

What’s next for the game?

We are currently looking for support to itinerate and continue growing the project. Our dream is to create a game that goes to clinical trials and becomes an FDA non-invasive tool to treat people with addiction who are in recovery.

Is there a meaning behind using the spelling “Haus?”

Haus as a way to honor the queer ball Culture in New York City.

The third part of the project involves a garden. What are the community and the space like?

This is in concept only at the moment, but we aim to build a garden with Loisaida INC, a Hispanic cultural center on The Lower East Side, to provide space for people struggling with substances to gather without stigma, grow veggies, and cook in Loisaida’s new commercial community kitchen!

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You can see more of Gabriel’s work on their website and view some photographic prints on The Layered Onion store. Thank you for sharing your story and work, Gabriel!

Tags Gabriel Torres, Haus of Dust, photography, theatre