I can’t choose between painting, writing or photography because each saved me in different ways. Painting came first — Bob Ross taught me as a little girl that anyone can create beauty, even without training. Writing came later, when I needed a place to put the things I couldn’t say out loud. I’ve lived through trauma that still echoes in my life, and art is how I survive it. Painting lets me breathe; writing lets me release. Photography is in the moment when I find something beautiful in nature

I find inspiration in two places: the beach and the quiet space inside myself. The beach gives me peace — the sound of the waves, the open sky, the feeling of being small but safe. Looking inward gives me truth — the emotions, the scars, the strength I’ve earned through everything I’ve survived. My art comes from the meeting point between nature’s calm and my own inner storms.

If I won $25,000, I would pour it back into my family. My husband and I are both in college, working toward degrees later in life, and part of the money would help us stay in school and cover our bills. I would also use it to support my husband’s stepdad, who is living with advanced cancer, so he can have comfort and joy in the time he has left. I’d help our youngest get his first vehicle, something that would open doors for him. I’d use a portion to buy essentials for our family.