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Hello! My name is Abanna Cheshire and I am an artist. I also work in the mental health field (gotta pay dem' bills!). I had a long bout of severe anxiety and depression coupled with a gnarly case of PTSD. I lost everything because of it. Spending 24 years in a state of mental illness will really take it out of you. I tried to kill myself a total of 9 times, but somehow survived every one of them (obviously... because I'm here and writing this). In 2013 I admitted to myself that I was really bad at dying, and that I should try building a life for myself. I spent the next 8 years focusing on my recovery from mental illness and substance abuse. I became a full-on mental health warrior as I battled for my sanity and eventually started a career in the mental health and substance abuse field. Along the way on my journey I started tinkering with different kinds of crafting. I crocheted, made beaded jewelry and fashion accessories, and then I found painting. I was hooked. I started doing work that reflected my recovery. My life had gone from being dark and hopeless to bright and hopeful. I was learning and doing works of art that contained ecstatic colors and social themes... they are snapshots of my mind, beliefs, and recovery. After hanging my paintings in my office at work, as well as sharing images on social media, people encouraged me to try selling my work as a way of sharing my recovery journey. So now here I am. I will be donating part of the profits from my sales to the 988 Crisis and Lifeline. They help people who are experiencing mental illness, addiction, and homelessness. I want to use my art to join the fight, share my humor and joy, inspire hope in others and raise awareness. Join me as my journey continues; Turning darkness into color, light and life.
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