Life is weird. And hard.
But also really beautiful.
Why donate?
Right now, my goal is to take my mental health awareness mission on the road. I want to travel across America, sharing my art, connecting with different communities, and creating space for honest conversations about mental health.
I plan to document the journey, sharing stories, insights, and tools that can help others feel less alone and more understood. (Think cool photos of the giant cat plushie in cool places and lots of flyers to help people feel less alone)
Funds raised will go toward basic living expenses like travel costs (car rental, gas), art supplies (paper, printing, materials), continued therapy, (rent for my month away) and the ability to make this much bigger than it is right now.
Most importantly, your support will help make this road trip possible, allowing me to share this work, connect with others, and spread mental health awareness across the country. (And one day the world!)
If you’re able to support, thank you. If not, sharing this means just as much!
About me:
I’m an artist driven by a deep passion for mental health/healing. I’ve experienced a lot in my life, including losing my father to depression at a young age. That loss shaped me in ways I’m still learning to understand, but it’s also the reason I create the work I do today.
I make art because I need to for my own mental health and I spread little peices of my art in the wild because I don’t want anyone else to feel what my father felt, or what I went through. My message is simple: be nice to yourself (and be nice to others). It sounds small, but it’s not. The way we treat ourselves matters. The way we show up for each other matters.
I believe mental health care should be more accessible to everyone.
(One day I will create something bigger to make this possible… little steps!)
We all experience trauma in different ways, and while we can’t prevent it all, we can learn how to cope, heal, and grow. Emotional regulation and healthy coping skills are things I believe should be taught earlier in life, so we can build better relationships with ourselves and with others. We all have the potential to live a better life. Yes…even you!
I’m not a doctor, I’m just a cat. But I do believe that if we were all a little gentler with ourselves and each other, life could feel a whole lot lighter.
Since 2020, I’ve faced job loss and health challenges (EBV), crazy cat vet bills, which have made it difficult to pursue this vision on my own. This is where I’m asking for your help.
And if you want to follow along on the journey (and see some cat memes along the way), you can find me on Instagram:
@ian_the_meow
Thank you for believing in me and helping me move forward!
meow xxx
*** Ps- sharing this with others really makes a difference! Also if anyone knows of any spaces in SF I could make art in- let me know!!! Or if anyone wants to donate a car or let me borrow theirs!!
Psps- gofundme charges 2.9% + $0.30 per donation. Tips go directly to gofundme (not to the cause) so you can choose 0 when prompted* (you don’t need to tip!)
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