altered_state is a series of 20 works exploring the many faces of mental illness and altered perception. The project was months in the making and grew out of more than 100 hours of creating and refining thousands of images. Each final work is paired with a 20-second audio clip, chosen from nearly hundreds of sounds to capture the right feeling. The art isn’t labeled with specific illnesses or symptoms. That’s intentional. Everyone experiences these struggles differently, and the goal is to leave space for personal interpretation. The open-ended visuals and soundscapes invite viewers to see their own reflections within them. This project comes from lived experience. I have watched friends, family, and colleagues face the realities of mental illness, and seeing how the stigma often leaves people isolated. altered_state is built with care and instinct, reflecting both the fracture and resilience of the human mind.