Nehir Uslu is a Chicago-based budding artist, illustrator, and a mental health advocate who is completing her BFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is a practicing weaver and fiber artist who makes soft objects that could be played with. She researches how different textures provide different sensory experiences, along with how objects can play a vast role in psychological healing. She creates vessels for exploring emotions and making sense of pain and trauma, and utilizes artmaking as an outlet for creating safe spaces where it is okay to be vulnerable. She explores psychological comfort, safety, and belonging, and uses her art as a tool for healing and creating homes that people feel safe in. 

In her dual practice as an illustrator, she bridges art and advocacy to inspire dialogue, cultivate belonging and care, and build a culture that prioritizes mental health as an essential component of collective resilience.