A collection of Teafly's work in her studio, some of which will be on display at Scalehouse Gallery through Oct. 28.

Bend artist Teafly Peterson was severely sleep-deprived for 20 years before they received a diagnosis for their mental illness at 34.

“(The sleep disorder) was intense, and it was something that was invisible. So when I started getting treatment for it, my life shifted, and it got better. And then I got diagnosed with bipolar, which was also another answer to a lot of things that felt invisible for a really long time,” Teafly said.

Now, they live a happy, healthy life creating art, including the Earth Guardians that appear at the annual Earth Day Fair & Parade and two pieces that have gone viral by striking a chord with many online — “My Body is Not a Democracy” and “Act of Love,” featuring the lettering “wearing a face mask is an act of love.”

On Thursday, Scalehouse Gallery hosts the official exhibit opening of “Little By Little: Building Community Through Art,” a collection of Teafly’s work from their 20 years of living in Bend. It features the works mentioned above, in addition to illustrations from their soon-to-be-released book, “So You Have A Little Brain Cloud… a Beginner’s Guide to Living with Mental Illness.”

In the middle of the exhibit will be a full-sized bed, on which visitors will be invited to lounge amongst Teafly’s larger-than-life colorful pillows. The bed is representative of stepping into Teafly’s little brain cloud — their name for their mental illness — and an emblem of their recovery from a sleep disorder.

The bed also symbolizes rest as a sacred human need.

Teafly has realized it’s healthiest to work part time and sought out jobs that align with their values.

They spend mornings cleaning Bend restaurant Spork and pre-recording to host the afternoons on radio channel 101.7, allowing them freedom from obligations after 11 a.m. and the time and space to create art.

“It takes a lot of shedding the expectations of others,” they said. “It’s a nice little life.”

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The intention behind Teafly’s art is simple.

It comes from a desire to make things and to mark their life’s journey and is ultimately for themself, they said.

But Teafly has a clear hope behind the release of “So You Have A Little Brain Cloud.” They hope to destigmatize mental illness and help others living with it to feel less alone.

In the book, they describe living with mental illness as living in 6 inches of syrup. It’s really annoying, but with the right tools, it’s manageable, they said.

After sharing their intention to launch the book and the details of their own mental illness, Teafly received a flood of responses from community members about their loved ones struggling with mental illness.

The responses were devastatingly similar: “I haven’t said that to anyone,” they would tell Teafly face to face.

Teafly suddenly became the repository for parents, in-laws and others struggling to live with mental illness or supporting a loved one living with mental illness while living in a world that was keeping them silent.

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“It’s scary because no one even knows how to describe it. We don’t take time to listen to people describe it. We don’t take time to sit and go ‘What’s inside me that’s keeping me from feeling like I can’t say these things,’” Teafly said.

“So You Have A Little Brain Cloud” is available for presale up until the book launch from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 21 at Scalehouse Gallery. The book launch is free to attend, but reservations are required, and donations are welcome.

What: “Little By Little: Building Community Through Art”

When: Official opening 5:30-7:30 Thursday. Exhibit opens Friday, on view through Oct. 28 during gallery hours (1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday) 

Where: Scalehouse Gallery, 550 NW Franklin Ave., Suite 138, Bend

Cost: Free 

Contact: scalehouse.org, info@scalehouse.org or 541-640-2186