I favor expressive, landscape-like paintings built through layers until something unexpected emerges. I’m drawn to the unplanned—where figures surface, landscapes shift, and the unseen takes form. While photography is my first love, painting lets me stay in a moment longer, exploring emotion, memory, and the shared human experience beyond what can be seen.

I draw inspiration from time spent in galleries and museums, as well as, exploring their online collections. I like to study artists’ techniques, mediums and palettes. I’m also inspired by my own photography—streets, people, dramatic light, beach sunsets, and endless landscapes. I believe my paintings are inspired by something felt in those moments, but not necessarily seen. Infinite possibilities of interpretation.

If awarded $25,000, I would upgrade my South Oceanside garage studio into a dedicated space to create, photograph, and share my work. I would invest in supplies, new gear, and lighting, while giving myself the time to develop new work. This would support my transition to a full-time artist and serve as a foundation for something larger—an evolving dream of a coffee shop art gallery with a space to sketch, draw, and connect through sharing and collaboration in a welcoming, everyday setting.