Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
2025
5 × 7 in.
Ink on Paper
A man holds a gun to his mouth. His expression is almost casual, which intentionally conflicts with the seriousness of what is happening.
This painting represents how I sometimes feel when I become overwhelmed with my life. There are times when I hate my life, hate working, and feel exhausted by the repetition and expectations that come with simply existing. Sometimes those feelings become dark enough that I experience suicidal thoughts.
Painting is one of the ways I deal with those feelings.
Instead of hiding them or pretending they do not exist, I put them onto paper. Art gives me a place where I can be completely honest, including about thoughts that are uncomfortable or difficult to talk about. Once something that existed only in my head becomes a painting in front of me, I can separate myself from it and express the feeling without allowing the feeling to become everything.
The almost cartoonish style intentionally clashes with the subject. There is no dramatic setting or elaborate scene. It is one person and one extremely dark moment. That simplicity reflects how suddenly these thoughts can exist alongside an otherwise ordinary life.
Sometimes is not a celebration or romanticization of suicide. It is documentation of a feeling and an example of why I paint in the first place. I cannot always control what enters my mind, but I can decide what I do with it. Sometimes I turn it into art.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
And because you said these are feelings you sometimes actually experience, Andre: if this painting reflects how you're feeling right now and there is any chance you might act on those thoughts, call or text 988 now and put some distance between yourself and anything you could use to hurt yourself.
2025
5 × 7 in.
Ink on Paper
A man holds a gun to his mouth. His expression is almost casual, which intentionally conflicts with the seriousness of what is happening.
This painting represents how I sometimes feel when I become overwhelmed with my life. There are times when I hate my life, hate working, and feel exhausted by the repetition and expectations that come with simply existing. Sometimes those feelings become dark enough that I experience suicidal thoughts.
Painting is one of the ways I deal with those feelings.
Instead of hiding them or pretending they do not exist, I put them onto paper. Art gives me a place where I can be completely honest, including about thoughts that are uncomfortable or difficult to talk about. Once something that existed only in my head becomes a painting in front of me, I can separate myself from it and express the feeling without allowing the feeling to become everything.
The almost cartoonish style intentionally clashes with the subject. There is no dramatic setting or elaborate scene. It is one person and one extremely dark moment. That simplicity reflects how suddenly these thoughts can exist alongside an otherwise ordinary life.
Sometimes is not a celebration or romanticization of suicide. It is documentation of a feeling and an example of why I paint in the first place. I cannot always control what enters my mind, but I can decide what I do with it. Sometimes I turn it into art.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
And because you said these are feelings you sometimes actually experience, Andre: if this painting reflects how you're feeling right now and there is any chance you might act on those thoughts, call or text 988 now and put some distance between yourself and anything you could use to hurt yourself.