OpenUp

Beginning in 2021, alongside a cross-functional team, I led the strategy, creative, and development for an internal campaign focused on reducing taboo and stigma around mental health. Following extensive research, to bring it to life, we brought in UK-based award-winning cut paper artist and illustrator, Owen Gildersleeve.

The topic is a sensitive one by all accounts and often characterized using tropes that cannot fully represent those in crisis or recovery well. Using stories and quotes provided from employees as preliminary prompts, our objective was to find a way to represent those difficult feelings and struggles with clear eyes and open hearts such that they might encourage others to share their own stories.

Throughout the project we developed a series of six abstract illustrations that play with overlapping layers and colors to represent the inner voices, feelings, and struggles we all experience at times. Each was brought to life in both still and animated forms as well as were expanded into large-scale environmental installations which delicately show the material qualities of the paper cut illustrations and lettering created by Owen.