What is your favorite type of art to create?

I adore music. But really I love seeing what is in my head come to life in all forms. Interior and exterior design. Words. A meal. An outfit. A dress prayer. I have been writing songs for 30 years and now they have been taking shape in 4 of the 5 languages I speak! A chord can give a word more meaning. A correlating image can ground the experience. All aspects are fun in myriad levels. I have won (modest) awards for my visual arts. But I am a wordsmith by trade.

Where do you find inspiration?

All around me! I found a lot of inspiration that was negative in the political arena. It felt very beneficial to alchemize that into art. I’m also inspired by love in all forms. As an educator for 25 some odd years, I also like to educate through my art so finding words or images that help people gain deeper understanding. I see all of this as part of my purpose here.

What would you do with $25,000?

I’d divide it 50/50 between a cause I believe in and moving my own dreams forward. Realistically, at this moment it would mean helping Gaza with half. That leaves $12500! I’d put $2500 in a scholarship fund for a week long annual art residency at my home/studio in an art incubator fellowship open to 3 artists. I’d take $8000 to hire a virtual assistant to move me through ward my current goals faster. The last $2000 I’d invest in the hopes of funding the annual art residency.