Hello, my name is Jana Hildreth.  I am a 27-year-old artist from Seattle.  I am sharing my story so that I can hopefully inspire someone else who has been through similar struggles.  I am a survivor of PTSD and Major Depression.  Art Therapy has undoubtedly saved my life. During my darkest days, I didn't want to live and had no outlet to express myself.  I have known since I was 2 years old that I wanted to be an artist.  But after the trauma I had been through I couldn't even pick up a brush. I needed a way to express myself without words and a way to emotionally release everything. Art Therapy has become my lifeline. I found strength and healing through the creative power of artistic expression. For me, art is an escape to my Wonderland, my refuge from the world and my mental illness.  I often paint memorials of people that have lost their lives to their mental health struggles.  It is important to shed light on the mental health crisis. I am a survivor, and my art is a raw reflection of my own struggles as well as the beautiful journey to recovery. My work is realism portraits and mainly focuses on the human condition. My ambition is to celebrate the vast beauty of people from around the globe. It is vital that we honor ethnic diversity and reflect that in our art, allowing us to connect in a powerful way. We can all heal and grow through art.