Colour outside the lines. Swim against the current. Think outside the box. These familiar phrases all describe something similar: a person who isn’t afraid to do things a little differently. Anne Nobels’ (b. 1993) series, Outside the Lines, borrows its title from these expressions. It’s a body of work about mental health, depicting the artist curled up among ferns or exposed on the shoreline. “Anxiety heightens all my senses, which makes my daily tasks difficult because I feel like I’m overloaded with information,” Nobels explains. “It’s easy to get stuck in the bad, but, when I feel good, my head is free to wander and play. Life is more intense and beautiful.” The following pictures are the culmination of a personal journey, showing figures climbing rocks to emerge surrounded by a sea of yellow flowers. The idea: by challenging herself to be vulnerable in her photos, Nobels might encourage us, as viewers, to dare to be more open as well. annenobels.nl

All images: Anne Nobels, from Outside the Lines. Image courtesy the artist.