Dena Cosby, artist
Healing, 2020
Acrylic on canvas

My piece is an Osage female, made up of facial characteristics of my own daughter that suffers from depression and a friend’s daughter who did as well and is no longer with us.  I reflected on God with the sun in the picture shining on the woman.  I also created this art piece during quarantine to keep my own spirits up.  I believe that art is the best way to deal with mental health.  Beneath COVID-19 are many other layers of difficulties our Osage community faces such as mental health issues, mourning losses, chemical dependencies, domestic violence, and child abuse. COVID-19 isn’t helping any of this, but ART is and always will!