Panic Attack Paintings was born from, well, a panic attack (actually, more like hundreds of panic attacks).
Our founder, Pep (they/them), has experienced regular panic attacks at varying degrees of intensity since their mid teens, and has been dealing with depression just as long. It hasn’t exactly been a fun time, but being a first class nerd and, despite it all, an optimist, they’re always looking for a way to find the good in the bad, to make the most of a bad situation. So, they make art about it.
Originally Pep invested in colouring books (the farting animals book is still a favourite to this day) as a tool to soothe their ever loud mind. In their early 20’s, they fell asleep on the couch in front of a rerun of Bob Ross’ The Joy of Painting after a mortifying day of existing in public. It was so calm they started painting, and Bob sure was right, it was joyful! Now, in their 30’s, Pep primarily works with acrylic markers, making their own cute and quirky doodles and drawings. They pull inspiration from the colouring books and happy little tress that brought them so much peace of mind in their earlier life.
Whatever mental health struggles you may have, and no matter what you’re going through in your own life, Pep and all of us here at Panic Attack Paintings hope we have something to bring you a little joy, a tiny light in the dark made of paper and paint.