Hello Pills

Leslie Holt is an artist who quite impresses me. Not only does she have a love of Hello Kitty but she is an advocate for individuals with mental illness. As a psychiatric social worker myself I of course found myself drawn to the fact that she was once a social worker working with individuals with mental illness as well.

Spills and Pills (statement from the artist)
In several other series ("pill spills," "hello pills," "swallow"), I create images of increasingly popular psychiatric pills, such as Prozac, in various intimate spaces. Mental illness is often referred to as the “invisible disability." This work makes visible several aspects of mental illness, such as the lingering shame and stigma, as well as the popularization of psychiatric medication. The pills are juxtaposed with popular characters from childhood, such as Sesame Street characters and Hello Kitty. I want the shift of these images from a private to a public sphere to contribute to a transformation of this invisible disability - from a silent, shameful experience to a visible and open dialogue.


Hello Prozac Spill 2004 oil on canvas


Hello Depakote Spill 2005 oil on canvas


Fruity Goodness: Hello Prozac 2005 oil on canvas


Fruity Goodness: Hello Geodon 2005 oil on canvas


Fruity Goodness: Hello Paxil 2005 oil on canvas


Hello Low Wage Worker 2003 oil on masonite


Hello Bride 2003 oil on masonite

Leslie Hold Biography

Leslie Holt is from Bethesda, Maryland but considers herself a naturalized citizen of St. Louis, MO. She earned her BFA in Painting at Washington University in St. Louis in 1992 and her MFA in Painting at Washington State University in 2003. Between undergraduate and graduate school, she worked in St. Louis as a social worker and advocate for people with developmental disabilities, mental illness, and people receiving welfare benefits. These experiences have influenced her work, and she has an ongoing interest in the intersection of art and community. Leslie currently lives in St. Louis, MO where she teaches art and art history at Fontbonne University and Lewis and Clark Community College. She has exhibited her work in various locations nationally and internationally.

To view more of Leslie's artwork visit her website at LeslieHolt.net