Artist Illustrates ‘Fear’ as a Misunderstood Monster That Just Needs Love and Acceptance

Fear Illustrations by Cécile Carre

Most of us have experienced feeling fear at some point or another, but some people suffer from daily, overwhelming anxiety that stops them from living life to the fullest. Whether it stems from a specific trauma or a lifelong mental health condition, learning to live with and understand our fears can help combat the intense, all-encompassing emotions they bring. For her own personal project, Netflix Story Artist Cécile Carre recently illustrated her own visual interpretation of fear, and how to overcome it.

The 6-image series begins with a giant, terrifying monster luring over a female character, cowering towards the ground in fear. The second illustration shows the girl timidly turning to confront the monster, only to find that it has softened a little, become a little smaller, and some might say—quite cute! As the series progresses, the monster becomes a mirror image of the girl herself, and begins to change color from dark purple to sunlight yellow. The monster then turns into a child, and then a baby in need of love and acceptance. The female character embraces the “monster” and by the end of the series, it disappears completely.

Carre’s beautiful series captures the essential truth about fear. As we begin to open our hearts and minds to understand it, we can begin to heal. Since posting her illustrations on Facebook, the series has been shared over 14,000 times. The artist writes on Instagram, “I feel very grateful for the very kind words I received recently, it is very encouraging.”

You can buy Carre's About fear series as prints via her online shop and find more from her portfolio on Instagram.

Artist Cécile Carre illustrates her own visual interpretation of fear, and how to overcome it.

Fear Illustrations by Cécile Carre

As the series progresses, the “monster” softens to show all it needs is love and acceptance.

Fear Illustrations by Cécile Carre

The female character embraces her fear as it transforms into a child…

Fear Illustrations by Cécile Carre

…then a baby.

Fear Illustrations by Cécile Carre

By the end of the series, it disappears completely.

Fear Illustrations by Cécile Carre

Cécile Carre: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Behance | Shop

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Cécile Carre.

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Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
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