I create intuitive abstract work rooted in emotion and lived experience. It gave me a way to get through COVID while working in a hospital, when everything I was living started to break me. I didn’t start painting because I had time. I started because I needed somewhere for it to go. When I ran out of space, I put it on a fence outside. People started knocking on my door, telling me what they felt. That’s how this became something more, and how I found my voice through the work.

I find inspiration in what I don’t always say out loud. Painting is my release. My mind turns what I feel into colors and images, and I follow that. Each piece reflects the emotion of the moment, and the colors shift with it. It also comes from what I experience day to day, working in a hospital and seeing what people carry. I don’t force meaning or try to explain it. What comes out is what it is, and people find their own connection in it.

I would invest in growing my work in a way that keeps it honest and accessible. Right now I create on a 6-foot table and teach from my kitchen, so having a dedicated space would allow me to expand both my art and the classes I lead focused on mental health, emotional awareness, and practical tools for handling stress, overwhelm, and real-life challenges. I would continue building inclusive spaces, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community and those who don’t always feel seen or heard.