In Conversation with Pierra D. Brown

Remember that free feeling of imagining anything as a kid? As you get older it can be hard to get back to that feeling, with more and more responsibilities coming your way - and with that can come many more stressors. According to a DoSomething survey, less than 50% of young people feel they have the tools necessary to take care of themselves when feeling overwhelmed. So, with Camp Reboot we're creating a place where you can get new tools and inspiration for tackling your mental health woes.

DoSomething chats with Chicago-based artist and art therapist Pierra D. Brown to further understand how the power of art can shape your wellbeing and put you in your ‘glowing era’! You’ll also learn more about Pierra and what inspired her to use art as a tool for social change.

DoSomething: What made you decide to pursue becoming an art therapist?

Pierra: Originally, my intentions were to become a traditional therapist. I started undergrad focused on majoring in psychology. It wasn’t until the final semester of my sophomore year that I was introduced to art therapy. I had enrolled in a ceramics course and throughout the class I had impressed the professor with my art. We discussed what my major was and he went on to tell me about art therapy. I was intrigued, did my research and decided that’s what I wanted to do. At the start of my junior year I went from a psychology major to an art major, psychology minor.

DoSomething: Are you noticing a rise in mental health challenges among young people? What do you believe is causing that?

Pierra: I have definitely witnessed a shift in conversations around the acknowledgement that young people can and do have mental health challenges. Growing up, the narrative was always ‘you’re a child what problems do you have’. I do feel social media has contributed to the shift making things a lot more visible for all to see as well as creating a space for people to relate and find comfort in sharing their personal experiences.

DoSomething: How can young people use art to tackle mental health in a positive way?

Pierra: Well, there’s the generic response that art can help with self-expression and be used to release your emotions, but there is so much more art can offer.

Art can be a teaching tool to help learn skills like improving your patience or controlling your anger.

It can help change your overall mindset and how you think and handle problems you might come across.

DoSomething: How do you use art as part of your own self-care routine? Is there a piece of artwork you’d like to share that helped you work through a mental health challenge?

Pierra: I enjoy art and I make art, but it’s not a major part of my self-care routine. At most I can say, art helps me communicate big or complicated thoughts or ideas. I enjoy learning and using different art mediums because each one offers something different and can fit my communication needs at the moment. The one time I can say I used art to work through a mental health challenge was after I tore tendons in my knee. I was going through some significant body changes and because I was unable to workout and explore my body through physical activities I used the art technique of blind contour drawing. I intimately examined and explored my body creating line drawings of what I saw and accepting how I saw myself in the mirror. It also helped me get over trying to draw the body as perfect as possible. This style is now what I use in my paintings of people.

DoSomething: As a kid, was there a particular art form you honed in on? How did that help you get away from the stressors of growing up?

Pierra: As a child, and still as an adult, I was very much tactile focused. I loved making key chains, doing latch hook kits, my favorite thing was building with these things called K’nex. When I attended college my art focus was ceramics. I created medium to large scale sculptures out of rolled out slabs of clay. All of those things were very detailed and meticulous, and taught me patience early in life.

DoSomething: Gen Z appears to be the maestros of creating content with the use of technology. What are some cool innovative ways you have seen this generation create content to make a positive impact?What are some ways you have seen this generation use technology or other innovative mediums to create art or other content that can positively impact their mental health?

Pierra: Some cool and creative content I've seen has come from TikTok. A lot of informative mental health skits coming from therapists and some funny relatable videos from people who are living with specific mental health struggles. Some other ways that technology has been having an impact on mental health that I personally enjoy and have seen is through digital art and my favorite, film. Technology has come a long way and there is not just one way to utilize it which makes it even cooler as time goes on.

DoSomething: As we see young people faced with increasing anxiety from the climate crises and other social threats, what role do you see art playing in building the resilience needed for social change?

Pierra: Historically, many facets of art have always had a role in change and continue to do so. From being used as a form of documentation, to art being made that visually represents an entire movement. Art has many roles, it's just up to the artist how they want to use it.

We love it sis! Pierra is a rockstar when it comes to molding art into one’s mental health journey, and if you are having trouble getting started, she has whipped up seven cool art prompts to get your creative juices flowing.

Follow Pierra and get to know more about her work in the community and check out some amazing artwork she has created. Take a look at how she Mind Crafts in Camp Reboot!