Exhibition Statement:

My project, called the ‘I’ll Be Alright Coloring Book’ and this project is a coloring and activity book to help patients pass the time and work through spending time in mental health facilities. These facilities see a majority of patients from 15-24 years of age with issues that include anxiety, depression, or thoughts of self-harm. I was inspired to create this coloring book because I have struggled with my mental health and I see the how art has helped me through these issues, so I wanted to give others struggling the opportunity to see the power in art. This coloring book was hand illustrated and activity pages were created in Microsoft Word. The goal of this coloring book project is to create a quiet, mediative experience for patients in mental health facilities as coloring is scientifically proven to help lower stress and decrease anxiety.

When approaching the design of this book, I investigated the cognitive benefits of coloring, particularly for people struggling with their mental health. Coloring therapy has been shown to help improve self-talk and decrease anxiety as coloring slows down your thoughts and brings your full attention to coloring. This state of flow allows patients to really think clearly and feel relief from their issues which can help patients see the brighter side of things and help themselves to grow and get better. Therefore, I incorporated repeating patterns, and mandalas to help cultivate that peaceful, mediative experience. While providing activity pages like reflection journals that give patients an opportunity to write with thought and gratitude for things that they have, goals they’ve accomplished and thinking of people who love and care about them. This project builds upon activities that mental facilities already offer, though through the lens of my research findings and aesthetic interests – expanding options for patients to choose from. It also shows these patients that someone is thinking of them and sometimes that is just enough to feel better about yourself and your situation to allow you to grow and get better.