Okay, here’s the thing about art. It’s not just about paintbrushes, galleries, or standing around pretending you understand ‘post-modern abstract somethingness.’ No, it’s much bigger than that. Art is the mic drop for emotions you can’t put into words. It’s where pain gets a glow-up & messages hit harder than your third espresso. Maybe.
But can art do more? Can it shine a giant spotlight on mental health, a topic so taboo in some places you’d think we were trying to summon Voldemort?
This month, I’m launching my new collection, ‘Inner Visions of Self’ & it’s deeply personal. The kind of personal where you want to wrap yourself in a blanket, eat snacks from questionable delivery apps & just think about how badly your life has turned out & play ‘all by myself’ singing into your hairbrush akin to Briidget Jones & remain there for a week…but don’t
Every piece is a glimpse into the chaos & complexities of mental health. But more importantly, it’s got a purpose. Every sale supports mental health initiatives because, as far as I’m concerned, stigma is the real villain in this story & we’re not letting it win.
Here’s why this mission hits so close to home for me..
Turning Pain into Power
Mental health struggles aren’t exactly a conversation starter in the Philippines. Here, mental health is, frankly, treated like a toddler you hope won’t make a scene in public. But for me, it’s more than a societal issue. It’s a raw, personal battle that has shaped parts of my life I’d rather not revisit—but hey, here we are….
I have fought even the darkest of days. Anxiety tried to make itself a permanent roommate. Depression? Oh, it was there, uninvited, like a bad ex who won’t stop texting. And in 2016, I hit rock bottom & dug an extra basement. I had a total mental break. Forget explaining myself—I was too terrified to even speak. I spent months under the care of psychiatrists & psychologists, piecing together what felt irreparably broken.
And it’s not just me. Some of my closest friendships are bonded by shared battles with mental health. But not all of them ended well. There have been too many early morning calls that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Calls delivering the gut-wrenching news that someone I loved couldn’t hold on anymore. And here’s the thing that keeps me up at night—I’d take a phone call at 2 am., 4 am., or even a text at the most ungodly hours from those same friends if it meant they’d still be here.
These experiences ignited something in me. I stopped waiting for someone else to take action. (cue pillow buying with message – ‘this ain’t a fairy tale – no-one is coming to rescue you & honey – you’re no Princess.’ I realized I am someone, and I had to do something. For me – that something was art.
Why Art? Well – Because Therapy is Expensive & Paintbrushes Listen…
When words failed me, colour didn’t. The canvas became my safe space where I could scream without opening my mouth. I slapped paint on it, wiped my tears on it (hey, it happens & t ain’t pretty) & found clarity midst the chaos. For the first time, art allowed me to express things I couldn’t even admit to myself.
And I know I’m not alone in this. Art has long been a gateway to healing, because it’s not picky. It doesn’t care if you can’t draw a stick figure (pro tip: no one actually cares). It gives people a language to work through their pain, on their own terms.
Here’s what makes art so powerful in mental health advocacy…
Self-Expression: You can pour your heart out without anyone rolling their eyes or awkwardly changing the subject.
Stress Relief: Rubbing charcoal sticks on paper or just stabbing at a canvas with paint? Surprisingly therapeutic.
Real Connection: Art brings people together, even if it’s just sharing how a piece makes you feel. Suddenly, you’re not so alone. Magic.
Smashing Stereotypes: By putting mental health on display, art forces society to stop sweeping this issue under the rug. Or at least mop the metaphorical floor with awareness.
That’s exactly the energy I’m channeling in the ‘Inner visions of Self’ collection. Each piece is an unapologetic, messy, colourful attempt to say what so many of us feel but can’t put into words.
Silence Is Not Golden, It’s Deadly…
Mental health shouldn’t be treated like a dirty little secret, but somehow, it still is. Society acts like talking about your feelings is the equivalent of walking into a job interview wearing Crocs. (Spoiler alert, it’s not – actually nothing is…)
Every time we brush mental health under the rug, someone slips through the cracks. According to a World Health Organization study, suicide claims a life every 40 seconds. Every. 40. Seconds. That’s someone’s sibling, parent, best friend, or partner.
We have to get louder. We have to stop labeling vulnerability as ‘weakness’ & start listening instead. And if the world insists on ignoring us? Well, guess what. My paintings are going to yell for me. They’re fire & rage & hope mixed into one, demanding attention. Because this silence? It’s killing people.
You Can Help (And No, You Don’t Have to Paint… Unless You Want To…)
The fight against mental health stigma isn’t something one person can tackle alone. (Also, I’m already doing a lot here, so help me out, okay?) Here’s what you can do…
Talk Openly: Ask your loved ones how they really feel & be prepared to actually listen. Pro tip? Don’t say, ‘You seem fine.’ or ‘pull yourself together’…It’s not going to be received well.
Buy the Collection: Your purchase funds mental health outreach. Plus, it’s art. Your blank walls have suffered long enough. And hey – if you don’t like anything in the collection – buy it or someone you don’t like & visit them often…you know where I’m going here…
Support Artist Advocates: Show up at events. Share their work. Believe me, most of us run on coffee & validation.
Be the Change™ (Yes, it’s cheesy, but it works): Correct misinformed comments. Speak up in your community. Be the person who doesn’t immediately minimize someone’s struggle.
The ‘Inner Visions of Self’ collection isn’t just art for the sake of art. It’s art with the audacity to say, ‘We can do better. We have to do better.’ Every sale is a step toward funding life-saving initiatives. Every shared story chips away at the stigma.
The Bigger Picture…
This is about building a world where mental health is visible, validated & prioritized. I don’t have all the answers, but I know one thing for sure—we can’t stay silent any longer.
Art isn’t going to solve everything. (I mean, it’s great, but it’s not that good.) But it’s a starting point. It starts conversations, sparks change & reminds people that they’re not fighting their battles alone.
And me? I’m just a person with a paintbrush, sometimes a mouse & a mission. I also have probably too much caffeine in my system. But I refuse to stand by while mental health continues to be ignored.
Explore the parts of the collection I am slowly releasing & join this brilliantly messy, loud, unapologetically real movement. Together, we’ll turn shared pain into something stronger than stigma.
Go on, make your walls (& your soul) proud.
www.jpecollective.com www.pixelsandpillows.design www.brushbeyond.art
