Depression Dogs
"Depression Dogs" is an on-going series of illustrations depicting dogs experiencing loneliness and sadness.
I began this project in a moment of post-grad insecurity and depression.
The first of my Depressed Dogs series is sketched in Procreate and finalized in Photoshop.
Depressed Dogs is a cheeky representation of my personal experience with mental illness since my teenage years. Taking my ¨normals¨ and transforming them into cute dog illustrations helps me further understand and identify the struggles I have been facing. I am hoping that someone will find these funny because they can identify with my message.
Swim Good purely represents my addiction to hot tubs. My senior year of college, I visited the hot tub at my partner´s apartment complex when I felt down in the dumps... far too often. I would just quietly sit there in the tub and watch him swim laps. Even though I have a huge fear of swimming pools, something about the bubbling warm water made me feel secure.
The second of my Depressed Dogs series, Top Ramen represents the late nights I spent studying alone in university. I turn to ramen packets when I am feeling especially lonely and down, as a comfort food. Paradoxically, the warm, savory noodles that put my mind to ease are probably wreaking havoc on my physical health.
The third addition to my Depressed Dogs series, Zip sheds light on how time is warped in my world. My mental illness, at times, makes the world slow down around me, while speeding up my internal dialogue; then, vice versa. It´s important for me to be especially vigilant about keeping time so that I am not late to work or appointments.
Another piece for my Depression Dogs series; painted with acrylic on an old denim skirt. The previous pieces were illustrated before November 2018, the month when I adopted a three year old English Bulldog out of a bad home. Since, Brock has been my muse and joy when the world seems to be closing in. Although he naturally looks tough and gloomy, Brock is always in a contagious happy-go-lucky mood. He has taught me to take things lightly and to dive into things head first. Even though I still suffer from this long term mental illness, I've ultimately become a happier person after becoming his mom.
