watercolor, colored pencil, marker, ink; 20×16”
“I’ve struggled my whole life with mental health issues. I’ve always looked for an outlet or escape from them. Art was one of those outlets. But it didn’t always help. I wanted to get help not from a professional and whenever I needed it. This is why I looked into Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) who are heavily discriminated against in the Service Animal industry. In late January and early February of 2022, I was in the hospital and needed support and thought that getting an ESA would be my best option, but then I learned of all the restrictions and laws against ESAs.”
ARTIST BIO: Ashley Therien is a Grade 11 student at Butler Tech School of Art (SOA).