I’m always trying to explore what brings out the most loving version of myself. Each time, I’m reminded that art has always done this for me.

From my childhood's chaos, I found peace in my crayons, paper, tiny little hands, and vivid imagination. I've always loved to create, but a big part of me, even so young, relied on creating for survival- for a sense of security, love, or hope that things would one day be okay.

As I got older, I looked to art for the same reasons. I realized the pain I held within myself needed somewhere else to live. I thought, what better thing to do with my pain than to create something beautiful out of it?

Through listening to and reading the teachings of spiritual leaders such as Thich Nhat Hanh, I started to realize that I was doing something much more important than I had thought. By listening to my suffering, dancing with it, holding it, embracing it, and then expressing it through my art, I’m able to understand myself and the world more deeply. This way, suffering is not only pain, but also, a teacher, a friend, and a pathway to healing ourselves and the world.

The older I get, the more I fall in love with my life as an artist.

Being an artist is not only what you can do with art supplies, or with a camera, or with a piece of paper.

An artist is curious. An artist slows down. An artist’s process is playful. An artist is a storyteller. An artist is present.

I have a creatively lived life. I create each day with the intentions to make it unequivocally beautiful and vibrant. For everyone.

To be an artist, all you have to do is realize you are one.