Reed Howard

BFA ’20 Illustration

I want to be able to help people with their problems, mental illness, disabilities, and anything that may bother people that others do not understand. I want them to be able to see that they are not alone in this world and that there are people out there that are going through what they are going through as well. Being alone is one of the scariest feelings in the world and I would like to help people stop feeling this way. This is the reason I create art, so that all these feelings in me, and others, are shown and spoken about. I want people to realize that these feelings, illnesses, and disabilities may be normal and that it is okay to be the person that they want to be. I want those people to feel like its okay to go through what they are going through and I want them to show these emotions publicly without feeling fear. The artwork that I create helps people through their time of need and “talks” about issues that may be taboo to usually talk about. Most of my work will be guided towards children. Using my illustration, I hope to accomplish this task and help children understand more about themselves without being scared. Usually, doctors’ appointments can be scary to the kids because they don’t understand what the doctor is saying. Using my illustration can be helpful for both doctors and children, helping interpret the doctor and helping the children understand what is happening.