“Celebrating mental health awareness and radical self-acceptance, Manic Pixie Dream Squirrel was inspired by my own daily ritual of “breakfast, coffee, and medicine.” Playing with the manic pixie dream girl trope and emo culture from the 2000s, I’ve created whimsical wearables, vessels, and trinkets that juxtapose bright colors and imagery against dark patterns and themes. Using glass and letterpress as my primary mediums, I am embracing these dichotomies—light and dark, high and low, joy and pain—to celebrate the full spectrum of what it means to be human. Through the act of visibly wearing, using, or displaying these pieces, I invite you to embrace your own internal contradictions and to accept all aspects of being exactly who you are. Be a part of ending taboos about mental health, wellness, and treatment and inspire others to embrace self-acceptance.” - Lauren Bayer Echevarria, Artist + Owner of Manic Pixie Dream Squirrel

About the Artist:

Lauren Bayer Echevarria, she/her

Pacific-northwest native and proud Peruvian, Lauren Bayer Echevarria has been creating since she had legs to stand on. (She literally started cooking at the age of 3—making eggs, of course!) Lauren spent 15+ years working in arts management before quitting her job in January 2023 to pursue her own art full-time. She is a strong mental health advocate who is open with her own struggles with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and cPTSD. Lauren holds a Bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and a Master's degree in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She currently lives in Seattle, WA with her partner and three cats.