Dear you… Project

“Dear you”

is a body of work inspired by

the love language of WORDS

and the journey of MENTAL HEALTH.

The spark of this project came about as a friend of mine gave me tons of blank thank you cards, so I could draw on them.

As I began to decorate them… I kept reading the words in silver and gold written on the front.

“Thank you, Thank you, Thank you”

Thank you for being here… thank you for choosing to stay

-I thought to myself -

As I kept drawing I began to recall a younger version of myself who used to write love letters to strangers… in middle school and high school, I would tuck these notes in desks, in bathroom stalls, in library books & anywhere else someone might find them. This act of love followed me to Ecuador as I would leave love letters around the city, in coffee shops & hanging from trees in the park…

I typically began these letters with:

“Dear You… yes you.”

& then I would follow these with words of encouragement… a love letter to a stranger. Looking back I realize that although I thought these letters were for other people….

it was also me writing to myself.

I believe words are potent.
& for folks struggling with mental health having someone, even a stranger write words of affirmation… writing words of empathy… acknowledging that life is sometimes really tough, but finding words to encourage…

can make a world of a difference.

I encourage you, to write love letters.
To the people you love & to the strangers around you.
I encourage you to write love letters…

to yourself as well.

This project is dedicated to those I and others have lost to their battle with mental health.

& to those of us who have chosen to stay.