Worth Living Ambassador Lucy Smith
Lucy Marie Smith graduated from Moore College of Art & Design in 2016 with a B.F.A. in Illustration, adding to her A.F.A. in Illustration from Delaware College of Art & Design and her B.A. in Theatre from West Chester University (cum laude). She has exhibited at many venues including the Comcast Center, Moore College of Art & Design, and Delaware College of Art & Design. Among her interests are painting, dogs, and organizing messy rooms. In her free time, Lucy moonlights as a face painter and a mommy to a beautiful, feisty Pomeranian. “The Dirt” is her first book.
Blooming from Challenges in the Darkness
My name is Lucy Smith and I have clinical major depression and anxiety with bipolar traits. Back when LiveJournal was a thing, I used to blog about the ups and downs of high school which I attended from 2003-2007. I had so many blog entries that I dreamed about writing a book about my struggles. “The Dirt: An Illustrated, 100% Uncensored Memoir of a Girl with Mental Illness” is that book, and I am excited to share it with you. I am happy to finally have the opportunity to be heard through “The Dirt,” which hopefully will go into the hands of those with similar issues.
At a very young age, I remember my entire mood dropping so low it went underground and died. For years I would fantasize about living in a different world. When no one else was around, my inner world came alive, and I could dance, dream, act, sing, draw, and write my way into relief from reality. To write this book, my challenge was to somehow channel my internal dialogue into an outer dialogue that could simultaneously inform and help others. Writing seemed the easiest method, but I also wanted to draw my feelings. “The Dirt” will be accompanied by illustrations scattered throughout the narrative for punctuation and emphasis.
Now, I create a new public dialogue with my book, and hopefully, I inspire other girls and feminine-presenting individuals to come forward with their stories. Community is built through dialogue and it takes courageous people to start a dialogue about challenging and controversial issues. I want to nurture a community with no stigma about mental illness, where no related subject is taboo, and where everyone can get the help they need— and not be afraid to ask for it.
Please, let me light the way for you. Grow from your dirt and bloom beautifully