I’m a San Diego native who grew up playing sports year-round. I lived and breathed competition and eventually earned a scholarship to play D1 softball at UTEP. Up until this point, art was just something fun to do in my free time. I was more interested in the sciences and chose majors that would put me on the career path to be an animal behavioral trainer or landscape architect, but alas, math kicked my butt and I found myself needing to change majors- for a third time!

I’ve always loved watching the “behind the scenes” sections of DVDs growing up, especially when they showed all the set construction and design that would transport the viewer into a different world. Funnily enough, my school had a degree in doing just that, so I turned my back on the sciences and went full steam ahead into painting and technical theater aka Scenic Art! My thirst for all things creative exploded as I was thrown into painting backdrops and set pieces to look like all manner of different locations. After graduation, I went on to work for professional theaters and helped set the stage for plays like “Into the Woods” and Disney’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame”! It was a dream come true… but then I made a detour.

 I took a 6-month adventure to Australia and Papua New Guinea to explore my relationship with God through a missionary organization called YWAM. This trip ruined me for the ordinary, so I put my new career on hold and threw myself into missionary work for the next 6 years. I studied and traveled to over 20 countries providing humanitarian aid, growing in my faith, and wrestling with the tough questions of life and God. Then I fostered a space for others to do the same.

In 2019 I returned home for a much-needed break, but then Covid hit. To ride out the wave of  “the Rona” I began selling paintings on Etsy and found my niche painting custom Disneyland spirit jerseys. This was the most fun I’d ever had while painting! Getting to create art that encompassed people’s childhood nostalgia with all the Disney magic (especially during such a tenuous time) was extraordinary! However, I soon realized that this was copyright infringement… so, before I got in over my head, I made a switch back to my first love, scenic art.

Working in theatre has allowed me to stay in the playful spirit of re-creating nostalgic moments from our favorite shows whilst also creating new, bold works that engage audiences in the realities of our cultural climate.

 I’ve learned many invaluable skills in the trenches of theatre paint shops in San Diego. Creating faux and specialty finishes, sculptural masterpieces and large-scale backdrops taught me the wonder immersive and well-intentioned artwork can evoke.

 Now, I’m bringing that same wonder (and a touch of whimsy) to your streets, homes, and businesses. This is the next chapter of my journey as a full-time artist, and I am soaking up every brushstroke. Cheers to a free and creative lifestyle!