Connect What is your favorite type of art to create?

I create acrylic paintings, mixed media, digital sketches and pencil drawings. Applying acrylic paint on canvas is an especially rewarding tactile experience. I often depict animals, especially horses and dogs, to express their movement and character. Painting lets me share my love for animals and explore textures and colors, creating works that connect with viewers and celebrate the spirit of my subjects.

Where do you find inspiration?

I'm most inspired when listening to instrumental movie soundtracks or a violent thunderstorm, trying to capture on canvas that exact moment when something shifts and everything changes...on occasion, inspiration comes suddenly, completely out of nowhere. I take pictures when this happens and refer to them during my process. I love sharp contrasts in color, subject matter, scenery, and expression. Light is integral, shaping my vision and driving me to capture nature’s beauty and movements.

What would you do with $25,000?

Winning this prize would let me buy paints, canvases, brushes, portable easels, and a small trailer to convert into a mobile art studio. This studio will bring free workshops to area youths, including those at our juvenile detention center. I also will sponsor seminars in collaboration with other artists and host a website to document our adventures. We also will go on field trips to local museums. This effort fuels my passion by helping at-risk youth and making a positive community impact.