ROSEY

Indianapolis, IN

“I create art not only for enjoyment but also as a way to navigate life while living with a mental illness.”

For ROSEY, art is not a choice but a lifeline. What began as a coping mechanism in moments of overwhelming struggle has evolved into an essential daily practice, a discipline through which he continues to navigate the ongoing realities of mental illness. Each piece he creates is at once deeply personal and universally resonant, offering both catharsis for himself and connection for others who recognize their own battles mirrored in his work.

Central to his philosophy as an artist is the belief that everyone carries a story. Whether the struggles are physical, mental, or spiritual, each life is marked by challenges that shape the human condition. By sharing his own experiences openly and vulnerably, ROSEY invites viewers into a space of empathy and reflection. His art becomes more than self-expression — it becomes a bridge. Through bold, often imperfect strokes, he encourages conversations around mental health, creating opportunities for understanding and community where silence and stigma might otherwise persist.

While his subject matter can be heavy, ROSEY’s work is not without beauty and light. Amid swirling chaos and jagged textures, glimpses of delicate color and movement remind viewers of resilience and the possibility of hope. His paintings resist tidy conclusions; instead, they embrace contradiction, existing in the liminal space between despair and survival, brokenness and beauty. It is this raw honesty — this refusal to shy away from imperfection — that makes his art both mesmerizing and deeply human.

ROSEY’s relationship with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) permeates not only his art but his approach to life. His OCD manifests in a tendency to immerse himself fully in whatever captures his attention, whether creating in the studio or rock climbing with fervent intensity. This all-or-nothing drive can be both blessing and burden: it allows him to develop skill rapidly and master techniques with dedication, but it also challenges him to find balance and moderation. In his artistic practice, this same obsessive energy is channeled into exacting detail, repeated gestures, and an almost meditative engagement with materials. It is through this process that he transforms compulsion into creation, discipline into art.

His introduction to art came in high school, where ceramics first sparked his interest in the creative process. Working as a teacher’s assistant for an AP art class further deepened his curiosity, not only about technique but about the psychology of expression and the way art reflects the human experience. These early experiences planted the seeds of what would later grow into a profound artistic journey.

Another pivotal moment in ROSEY’s path came through meeting fellow Artlifting artist Johnson Simon, who lives with cerebral palsy and uses his own challenges as a source of strength and inspiration in his work. Witnessing Simon’s resilience and creative vision encouraged ROSEY to embrace his own vulnerabilities as a foundation for his artistic voice. This encounter affirmed his belief that art can be more than personal therapy — it can be testimony, advocacy, and connection. Inspired by Simon’s example, ROSEY committed to using his own struggles as material, transforming private pain into public dialogue and personal survival into collective meaning.

Today, ROSEY continues to expand his body of work with the same urgency and authenticity that first drew him to art. His paintings are unapologetically emotional, reflecting both the depths of despair and the fragile shimmer of hope. By turning his inner battles into vivid visual form, he not only charts his own survival but extends an open hand to those who encounter his work. His art stands as both a reminder and a revelation: that beauty can coexist with brokenness, that struggle can be shared, and that even in moments of darkness, creativity offers light.

Through his relentless honesty and commitment to vulnerability, ROSEY has carved a space in the art world where imperfection is celebrated and struggle is not hidden but illuminated. His work is an invitation to witness, to connect, and to recognize the complexity of the human condition. For those who step into his painted worlds, the experience is haunting, mesmerizing, and profoundly human: a testament to the power of art not only to express but to heal. “My greatest motivation as an artist is to raise awareness around mental health. I have found that art is both emotional and spiritual, capable of moving people in many ways. By sharing my story, I hope to inspire others and create space for them to open up about their own struggles.”