Monthly Prompt

Seasons of growth.

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My painting centers on the emotional concept of saudade – a profound, nostalgic feeling, which is conveyed through the image of a woman lying on a lake filled with beautiful flowers. The piece captures the bittersweet transition between childhood and adulthood and the emotional depth and discovery that happens during adolescence. Although sometimes feared, these changes make us stronger. The message celebrates the magical, raw emotions of youth that adults often forget and reminds us all of the importance of dreaming, feeling, and believing. The green ribbon laced over the woman represents a feeling of happiness and relaxation that helps us continue to grow.

Heart2Heart

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I chose the word “connection” because of how important socialization and connection with peers is to youth, especially those struggling with mental health issues (or even those who have struggled in the past).

Support is Everything

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To me, support is the most important part of improving your mental health. Whether it’s emotional, physical, financial, or any other form of support, it’s all someone needs. Support can come from anyone – you, your parents, family, friends, teachers, counselors, managers, or anyone. I’ve received a massive amount of support from my parents, family, and friends, and it has truly changed my mental health for the better. I want to share my support with others so that they know they aren’t alone and can be and do whatever they want.

Seen

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I chose the word “seen” because sometimes people feel invisible or unheard, like they don’t have anyone to talk to. True friendship doesn’t always come right away – you often have to wait patiently. That was my experience in elementary school, where I felt alone and mostly turned to screens for comfort. But when I started middle school, everything changed; I made real friends who cared, listened, and truly saw me.

Breathe

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Breathing in such an overlooked tool to calm our selves down and bring us back to earth.

Mutual Healing

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Recently, I went driving with my dad to a wilderness area and enjoyed being in the bright sunshine, taking the time to be outside and clean up the environment with someone I loved. It made me reflect on how, in many cases, lifting ourselves up often involves lifting up others as well, directly through companionship, but also indirectly with acts of charity.

Rocketship

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It’s hard to be in a situation where being mistreated has become common. It starts small, but it spirals out of control. However, the hardest part isn’t having your worth undermined each and every day, it’s the possibility of letting go. So much could go wrong, and sometimes it feels like your mental health and sense of self-worth aren’t a lot to sacrifice. But they are. You shouldn’t be told your worth by others, others have no right to put a value on you. Yet, they do, and all you feel like you can do is… let them. That’s when you realize it’s time to let go. It’s hard, sometimes that person(s) is deeply involved in your life, but that makes it more important to do so. It’s hard to heal and move on because maybe that person was your rock to lean on. It’s hard to sleep because they’re in your head 24/7, and you see them in everything you do. But when it’s all over, and you look back to see how far you’ve come, you’ll know you made the right decision.

Moving Forward

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My art explores the emotional and transformative journey of someone who begins their path feeling lost, inexperienced, and overwhelmed by the challenges life throws their way. When I started skating, it taught me a lot about perseverance. When I first started, I kept falling and felt judged by others at the park, but I didn’t give up. With time and practice, I started to skate more confidently and even landed my first ollie. That progress made me realize that anything is possible with effort and persistence.

I Luv You!

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Whenever I feel like I can’t deal with anything, I search my house until I find one of my cats. I pet and cuddle them until I feel like I can manage the rest of the day. Spending time with my pets relieves stress and I don’t know what I would do without them.

Thriving through Adversity

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Something that helps me while I’m going through a tough time or feeling overwhelmed is gardening. Gardening makes me more patient and mindful, providing me a space to reflect and process emotions. The act of planting seeds and watching them grow, despite challenges, symbolizes resilience and hope and reminds me that, similar to my plants, I can grow and thrive even during times of adversity.