ABOUT

Born and raised as Baltimore native I've had the privilege of living in a state with boundless sources of inspiration. From the salty air of Atlantic coastline to the Appalachian mountains in the west, the Baltimore Harbor, rivers, lakes, and fields, Maryland has been my loving home. 

It's where my love of creating began. But I'll admit, I had no idea where this spark would lead me. As a child I loved to make and create. Drawing, painting, crafts on crafts on crafts. I think my parents must have bought stock in RoseArt or Crayola because any kit they sold, I had (and still have, looking at you RoseArt spin art). Though I loved creating I was also the kid that loved everything else too. From dance to sports, I had a lot of hobbies and interests. 

Through high school I focused mainly on sports and trying to figure out what to do with my life; what career path I wanted to take. But I had no idea. I was never the kid that knew exactly what I wanted to do when I "grew up." Instead, I wanted to be everything from a trash woman, interior designer, athletic trainer, nurse, and an art teacher. We'll get back to that last one. Graduating high school, I still had no idea and went into my first semester of college "undecided." Though I did tell my parents I would be returning to my Alma Mater one way or another (I loved my high school). 

I met a few friends who were Visual Communication Design majors and it sparked my interest. After all, I had always had a creative itch. But I didn't have a portfolio, I took my one required Fine Art course in high school and a basic Graphic Design class senior year as an "easy A." I had even dropped another Fine Art course because I was convinced I was going to do something medical or science related. Ha. In a spur of the moment decision I declared my major as Visual Communication Design (aka Graphic Design) and then promptly cried in my car thinking "what did I just do!?"

And guess what, I loved it! Clearly my creative side was reactivating and I was finally able to scratch that itch I always had. But as we all eeked closer to graduation and suddenly being thrown into the "real" world I start panicking. Is this really what I wanted to do? Imposter syndrome started setting in fast and hard. May 2013 came, graduated with my degree, again still unsure of what I was going to do. 

And then, frankly, a miracle happened just a couple of weeks later (okay, not Vatican approved, but a miracle by my terms). An Art Teacher position opened up at my former high school. Remember how at one point, kid-me wanted to be an art teacher? Remember how I told my parents I would be back to my Alma Mater? See? Miracle! (cue Marshall Erikson voice)

Since the Fall of 2013 I have been that high school art teacher. Watching my students discover their talents and realize their passions has been my passion. I love teaching. Teaching has also given me the ability to explore so many forms of media on a daily basis from traditional art, graphic design, fiber arts, 3D arts and so much more. But more recently I found something in which I can truly become lost. Abstract. 

As a teacher and trained designer my brain thrives on order, control, rules, technique. By every definition I should hate abstract, I should be against it. But abstract art forced me to lose all of that, to let go of control, break the rules, and accept that even the unpredictable can end up beautiful. And I fell in love. Looking back at my path I know that God has been leading me through thick and thin to bring me to where I am now...all those little steps, inklings, desires, all those...itches. 

Today, I spend my time (attempting) to balance being a faithful wife, mother, teacher, and creative firmly believing in these words from Saint John Paul the Great: 

"Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it...has a certain obligation: to know that [she] cannot waste this talent but must develop it."