My Story
Art has always been my constant. From a young age, it gave me peace, purpose, and perspective. As a kid, I’d spend endless hours sketching muscle cars, people, and random objects around the house—learning to see the world by drawing it. Art taught me to slow down and observe life as it unfolded.
At 17, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and art became something more: a vital outlet for processing emotion and making sense of a complex inner world. Many of my early works from that period were ink-heavy and chaotic, reflecting my mental state at the time.
As I approached high school graduation, I began to see a path forward. Art could also become a career. I found graphic design and discovered how creative expression could serve a purpose, helping people understand everything from buying a lawnmower to exploring a new health treatment option.
In 2022, life threw another curveball: a rare form of cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma. Once again, art became my refuge. During treatment, I filled sketchbooks with floating figures, dreamscapes, and meditations on impermanence. I also began experimenting with watercolor, adding texture, dimension, and emotion to the work. Pieces like COMING AND GOING (image below) emerged from this period.
Today, I’m cancer-free and creatively reborn. My current work draws from everything I’ve lived through: my mental health journey, recovery, and family roots tracing back to Germany and Mexico. I’ve learned to trust my subconscious and let it guide the process. I rarely begin with a plan, just a pencil and an open mind. I sketch, observe, and follow whatever begins to emerge. MAYAN DREAM (image below) is a reflection of that instinctive, intuitive approach.
That’s a bit of my story. If you have questions or are interested in a piece, I’d love to hear from you.
Cheers, and thanks again for stopping by.
Peter
Michael
Roth