The Heart Behind the Canvas: My Artist Statement Creating art has always been a part of who I am, something inherent, joyful, and a little bit messy in the best way. But as I’ve grown into this new chapter of life as a full-time artist, I’ve come to realize that the real magic of art isn’t just in the process or

At some point, someone told me I should “pick a lane” with my art, that I should stick to one style, one subject, one tidy little box people could easily understand. And while I appreciated the sentiment (and the concern for my branding), that’s just never been how my creativity works. My mind doesn’t stay in one lane, it veers off-road,takes

When I start a new piece, especially with acrylics, it usually begins in abstraction. I’m not planning every detail from the get-go. Instead, I lean into the physical process: throwing paint, splashing water, watching colors swirl and collide. It’s active, a little unpredictable, and honestly, a lot of fun. There’s something deeply satisfying about letting the paint do its thing before

One of the most rewarding parts of my creative life is teaching. There’s something magical about watching someone who’s convinced they “aren’t an artist” walk away from class with a canvas full of vibrant, expressive color and the proud grin to match. Teaching abstract painting is about more than technique, it’s about unlearning behaviors and thoughts about how creating is "supposed

One of the most common questions I get as an artist is, “Where do your ideas come from?” While I wish I could say there’s a well-organized mood board or some mystical method to the madness… the truth is, it usually starts with color. A palette will just click for me. Maybe it’s something I see in nature, maybe it shows

I didn’t set out to be a self-taught artist. It's just how things unfolded. Being self-taught isn’t something I wear as a badge of honor, but it is the path that’s felt most natural to me. Over the years, I’ve thought about taking formal art classes, and I still might, but there’s something about learning on my own time and in