| © Cleo Peterson. All Rights Reserved |
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In 2004, Cleo earned a summer research grant to paint and study the social effects
of college suicide which culminated in a seven-piece painting series entitled Student
Emotions. The series was later shown in the Karpeles Museum of Tacoma, WA and
because of this project, Cleo was nominated for the 2004 USA Today All-Academic
Team and given Honorable Mention
Student Emotions: An Artistic Examination of College Suicide and Suicide Prevention
The “murder of oneself” robs society of a unique and valuable member. Suicide
represents a major national and international public health problem and is one of our
most failed endeavors in understanding the human mind and spirit. In summer of 2004, I
earned a research grant that allowed me to conduct research into the broad topic of
college suicide and in response to my research, created a seven-piece painting series
entitled: Student Emotions.
I began this project inspired by the life of Alex, a high school classmate. Alex and I
worked together one summer after our first year at college, during which we shared
stories of our experience and struggles as incoming freshmen. The complications of her
story grew to a climactic account of her failed suicide attempt. As my University had
just experienced a student suicide, this story resonated profoundly. I dedicate this
project to Alex and others like her who struggle with depression and suicide ideation.
Suicide is indeed complex and a condition that implores an integrated understanding of
biological, clinical, subjective and social factors. In fact, more young adults die from
suicide than from all medical illnesses combined including cancer, heart disease, and
AIDS.
As a whole, the paintings represent seven days on a calendar week; each title
corresponds with a date from the Fall 2004 academic calendar. Each piece evokes a
universal emotion that every person has felt: nervousness, loneliness, sadness, anxiety,
depression, confusion/ confliction, and hopefulness/contentment. Although I had a
discrete intention with each piece and its respective emotion, I allowed each work to
build upon itself as a testament to the complicated and forceful nature of our emotions.
The goal of this project is twofold: to inspire people suffering from suicide ideation to
seek guidance and support, and to promote a better awareness of depression and
mental/emotional illness in our community. My hope is that this artistic contribution
serves as a conduit towards a more compassionate understanding of our emotions and
their formidable presence in each and all of our lives.
of college suicide which culminated in a seven-piece painting series entitled Student
Emotions. The series was later shown in the Karpeles Museum of Tacoma, WA and
because of this project, Cleo was nominated for the 2004 USA Today All-Academic
Team and given Honorable Mention
Student Emotions: An Artistic Examination of College Suicide and Suicide Prevention
The “murder of oneself” robs society of a unique and valuable member. Suicide
represents a major national and international public health problem and is one of our
most failed endeavors in understanding the human mind and spirit. In summer of 2004, I
earned a research grant that allowed me to conduct research into the broad topic of
college suicide and in response to my research, created a seven-piece painting series
entitled: Student Emotions.
I began this project inspired by the life of Alex, a high school classmate. Alex and I
worked together one summer after our first year at college, during which we shared
stories of our experience and struggles as incoming freshmen. The complications of her
story grew to a climactic account of her failed suicide attempt. As my University had
just experienced a student suicide, this story resonated profoundly. I dedicate this
project to Alex and others like her who struggle with depression and suicide ideation.
Suicide is indeed complex and a condition that implores an integrated understanding of
biological, clinical, subjective and social factors. In fact, more young adults die from
suicide than from all medical illnesses combined including cancer, heart disease, and
AIDS.
As a whole, the paintings represent seven days on a calendar week; each title
corresponds with a date from the Fall 2004 academic calendar. Each piece evokes a
universal emotion that every person has felt: nervousness, loneliness, sadness, anxiety,
depression, confusion/ confliction, and hopefulness/contentment. Although I had a
discrete intention with each piece and its respective emotion, I allowed each work to
build upon itself as a testament to the complicated and forceful nature of our emotions.
The goal of this project is twofold: to inspire people suffering from suicide ideation to
seek guidance and support, and to promote a better awareness of depression and
mental/emotional illness in our community. My hope is that this artistic contribution
serves as a conduit towards a more compassionate understanding of our emotions and
their formidable presence in each and all of our lives.
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