About
ABOUT ME
Living in Southern California, I love creating nature inspired artwork, watercolor maps, and painting abstract art. I create visual journeys through simplified shapes and playful color palettes. Inspired by my inner child, I seek to capture the spirit of adventure in my work! I’m on a mission to share my joy of watercolor and painting with the world! When I’m not painting, you can find me hanging out with my family, taking pictures, or driving along the coastline to find the best beaches and iced coffees!
MY STORY
I remember the feeling of putting paint to paper at age 5. I was standing in my backyard with my easel and painter overalls. It was a warm summer day and the world was my oyster. It was a pivotal year for me. Growing up, I spent a lot of time playing the piano and singing. I loved it, but it didn't feel like my forever path. What I learned from music, I later applied to my artwork. All my artwork today is inspired by music and nature.
I DECLARED I WAS AN ARTIST AND NEVER LOOKED BACK.
Fast forward to college, I graduated from CalArts with a b.f.a in graphic design, and eagerly began my career in the music industry, creating music packaging for a boutique design firm. I quickly fell in love with illustration along the way. I began painting every night and taking ceramic classes. I just loved to create things on paper, and with real art supplies. My tactile senses were reignited to my childhood dream of becoming an artist.
A FEW YEARS WENT BY, AND I DID SOMETHING NO ONE EXPECTED ME TO DO.
I quit my very stable, very exciting, very safe job. It. was. dramatic. My heart was being called to be creative in a new way. I had the vision to start a greeting card company, so that’s what I did. I booked my ticket to New York and packed up my debut booth design. I exhibited at the National Stationery Show and starting connecting with buyers and retails across the country. I created whimsical animal illustrations and wrote greeting card messages with watercolor and whimsy. It was an exciting time!
THIS IS WHEN I BEGAN TO EMBRACE ADVENTURE.
Along the way, my illustrations become found through boutique stores across the US. I ended up working with several freelance illustration clients and landed the job as a travel illustrator for Better Homes & Gardens monthly column. This later became the inspiration for my 50 states project.
THESE PLACES THAT YOU LOVE, THE PLACES YOU CALL HOME, ARE THE INSPIRATION FOR ME TO PAINT, TO BRING THEM TO LIFE FOR YOU.
My job as a watercolor map designer started out with just one map of my home state. Now I arm chair traveling my way across the US for the beauty that each state has to offer. Each state's iconography is hand painted, to create a journey with the love of travel one map, one brushstroke, one adventure at a time.