Where it all began…

My journey as an artist began as soon as I could hold a pencil, and from there, it blossomed into many other types of media. My art styles have changed throughout my life, and I no longer have interest in drawing rainbow sheep or suns with smiley faces. This does not mean that I do not like drawing the same subjects as when I was younger— my love of fantasy creatures such as dragons and gryffins still stands tall, albeit with much more detail.

Throughout elementary school and the beginning of middle school, I focused on traditional art forms. I studied geniuses such as Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Georges Seurat, and others who have dramatically influenced the history of art. I copied multiple paintings, learning the nuances of the techniques behind the pieces. This was a less creative time for me, and more of a learning period. I learned how to use a printing press, how to build and prepare my canvases, and how to utilize the different forms of media, such as oil paints, acrylics, and pastels (both oil and chalk).

I continued art throughout high school, ultimately taking AP Art and Design my senior year, scoring a 4 on the AP exam. Throughout this time I also started a deeper interest in photography and had my art displayed in the local Starbucks. Despite my successes and interests in the arts, I never considered it to be a suitable career.