I was drawn to the Arts at a very young age. As a child, being creative and making art was a way for me to explore the world around me. Gravitating toward other creatives around me, to glean inspiration and information and pouring over any coffee-table art book that I could get my hands on. I was fortunate enough to grow up around another Art professional in my family. So, I was always encouraged to follow my dream. Immediately after high school, I went on to study Illustration at Laguna College of Art & Design. At the time, the school focused mostly on traditional art making, painting and drawing. Learning how to paint and draw like the Old Master Artists was a great foundation to help built up to the Artist that I have currently evolved into. There is no way to speed up the Artistic learning process, it takes so much time, hands-on experience, trials and errors. Even 20 years after Art school, I am still learning new techniques and growing as an Artist.

Currently, I focus on creating traditional oil paintings with a heavy focus on the female figure and subjects. My work has been exhibited and sold through various galleries in the Southern California area. I also create custom painted portraits for local clients. It is a very satisfying process to collaborate and help someone realize their creative vision. I always welcome new and fresh ideas from my clients. In turn, with each project I learn something new and become a better Artist with each painting!

When I was younger, I tried to be a “jack of all trades” with my creative abilities. Despite what my natural artistic style was, I would create art that, in my mind, other people would prefer to buy and be more commercially successful. This led to inconsistency with my work and burn out. Ultimately, this approach to art brought me no joy, made my business suffer, and did not help me grow as an Artist. Once I was able to mature more and take a step back, I started to focus on what I was excited to paint and draw. This excitement is clearly reflected in my art now, and my viewers are able to feel and read into that. The moment I started to focus on creating art that was stimulating, my work started to flourish and grow. I got more opportunities to exhibit my art, and I was hired for more creative projects. The lesson that I learned was, the importance to say “no” to unrealistic expectations and ultimately to follow my passion.