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This reworked collection of found objects, "Treat Yourself," explores how different life experiences shape one's perception of drugs. The simultaneously harsh and frivolous display of drugs evolves the obscure topic into something raw, subjective, and approachable.

Drugs are widespread in our society, from the occasional wine, the daily nicotine or marijuana, and the crisis of opioid, fentanyl, and tranq abuse. Most people know very little about the ins and outs of drug abuse and their systematic structures, and many choose not to think about it because it's scary and not covered sufficiently in mainstream news. However, this causes people to categorize drug users as "other" and often "less than" or dangerous. Though having been exposed to drug use, I have never consumed any drug, and I have no desire to, but this doesn't make me better than anyone else. People have the right to responsibly choose whether or not to do drugs, whether it's for medical purposes, emotional support, or recreation. However, drug use often leads to addiction or, at the least, psychological dependency. Corrupt drug empires are profiting off of cheaply made and laced drugs, causing a cycle of addiction, homelessness, and death. Rather than fixing the problem, it's often only tossed around, covered up, and overlooked, enabling looming neglect to become gentrification, condensed crime, class division, and apathy.

In this work, there are Zyn pastries, a carousel with carved pills, a Marlboro box of needles, pre-roll canister kazoos, a prescription bottle hourglass balancing on a silver spoon, and Fireball bottles filled with various drugs and needles. Most of these are nicely adorned with a bow made of Zyn labels or a shoelace. Due to the ominous nature of drugs and their monochrome packaging with highlights of red and orange, their danger isn't taken away. Instead, their risk is dressed up and played with light-heartedly, inviting in many different discussions and sparking unique, thought-provoking ideas in viewers. Additionally posted on Instagram with selected educational material from book "Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction," by Judith Grisel and Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan on Youtube ("Philly Streets," "San Francisco Streets," "D.A.R.E. Conference," "Vegas Tunnels").