Art is a necessity, just like air, water, food, shelter, and health care. It’s the love of other humans made tangible across space and time. When a person can’t get a hug from a friend, art is there to make them feel seen and understood. It opens them up to new worlds, helping them to get outside of their own narrow experience, allowing them to become better and more loving.

And that’s only more true when it’s art about mental health, like these three paintings.

These works are part of a collection that’s entitled Everything’s Fine, because I want to make it clear that I know that everything’s not. I don’t want anyone to think they’re the only one struggling with anxiety, depression, or PTSD.

The images of Everything’s Fine are a starting place. “I feel like this,” you might say, pointing to one in particular. You could use a digital image as a smartphone background--a private reminder that at least one other person, AKA me, has felt like you. You might even use your favorite image as a profile pic. You can speak through these paintings. Instead of struggling to find the right words, these artworks can help you show others how you feel.

Because Everything’s Fine is meant to belong to you as much as it belongs to me.

That’s true of all my work--I place all my images directly in the public domain, free for use by anybody for any reason, without asking permission first--but it’s especially true of this project. These images were designed with you in mind, both because I need to feel like I’m not alone and because I want you to feel that connection as well.