Individual Artist Project

Those living with mental illness and neurological disorders are often seen as troubled or helpless. Really, there is so much beauty in these struggles and most people are overlooked or are not receiving the proper accommodations needed and therefore, continue to fall down a chaotic cycle of hardships. I believe my Panda and Pals characters and tool kit will very much speak to the disabled community, beyond the visibly disabled. We must showcase the importance of the invisible struggles. The world is taking these issues much more seriously and I want to get involved while everyone is finally watching. There are many that are still quite skeptical of these issues and refuse to accept that they exist and that just advocating and accommodating to the individuals, will secure a much greater future for that person and therefore, the community in which they will continue to thrive. I am very strong in my advocacy as a human who has survived four decades of constant pain and struggle. I have used all of my strengths to keep working towards a better world and better self, not just for me and my son, but for all who relate to me and their loved ones. ; I am trying to accomplish creating a sustainable brand through my art that will be able to expand beyond this project. The measurable outcomes are the responses from the community that I am trying to connect with and even better if those that are not familiar start opening more conversations about the meaning of Panda and Pals. I have already began the design of the characters with 100 key communication words. I am driven to succeed and I will be able to use this a learning experience for my son on how to write the grant, create the product and begin selling work within a strict guideline. Being a self-sufficient artist has been a lifelong dream of mine and due to recent circumstances, my goals for getting this started in 2024 is going to happen. I have a growing list of events that I plan to sign up as a vendor for and have already begun building as many free online spaces as I can to start promoting my art brand. This series will be popular for parents and adults who struggle and I believe it will help me stand out with what my mission as an artist and in life is. ; I will know if the work is a success based on responses from the public and sales. I will ask for feedback and reviews. My art business will begin to thrive.