Tell us how you first became interested in creating art.

I'm not sure I can pin it down to an exact moment. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been doodling cartoons and copying my older siblings. I’m the youngest of five, and all of them are extraordinarily creative in their own ways. Drawing, painting, creative-writing, interior-decorating; they do it all. So, I’ve always had someone around to encourage my artistic side. Admittedly, I took a pretty long hiatus from painting when I went back to school but, I did write and publish a book! I’d call it a solid first attempt…my mother loved it. But yeah, after that, Covid was starting up, and I went back to painting to pass the time during the lockdowns. I just never really put the brushes back down.

Which artists or art movements have influenced you?

I'm obsessed with almost everything from the Baroque movement. The contrasts and deepness of color tones are mesmerizing. Compositionally, I admire artists like Edward Hopper, and Andrew Wyeth from The American Realism movement. I also have to throw Joseph Ducreux into the mix. Without him, I would still be painting portraits that demand to be taken seriously. Ducreux shows that it’s okay to be silly and weird.
 

How would you describe your artistic style? What inspires you?

My artistic style falls somewhere under the umbrella of surrealism. I love taking ideas that don't go together and cross-pollinating them in a way that births something funky, new, and visually appealing. Funnily enough, a lot of my initial inspiration came from mashup song re-mixes. Two songs with similar BPM’s that have absolutely no business being re-mixed together, yet somehow, work anyway. I love a good, odd couple.

What is your favorite art accident Did it change your perspective?

I'm not sure I have a favorite accident. I've made so many over the years, and on everything I've produced, that, in a way, I look at my entire portfolio as a library of lucky accidents. I think that’s probably because the mental image I’m trying to put down doesn’t exist as a finished piece in my mind. I get a general feeling for a concept, and then add to it little by little. Like bringing a blurry photo into focus with each layer of paint. Each session informs the direction of the next session. Sometimes, it can feel like painting a still-life of a room’s interior by referencing it through the keyhole in the door. Mistakes are inevitable when you go about it that way, but as cliché as it sounds, you gotta trust the process.

What is the most important thing about art to you?

Duality of meaning. Several things can be (and often are) true at the same time. Whether artists like it or not, people are going to project their own narratives onto objects that capture them, and extract whatever meaning they need from it in that particular moment in time. And, I kinda like it that way. Maybe this is harsh, but in my opinion, anyone who insists that a work of art must adhere to a singular, concrete definition for all viewers across the board is a bit of a disillusioned dork. 

How do you promote your art?

I have an Instagram account that showcases all my work, as well as 
a RedBubble page where I sell prints. I also participate in various vendor markets both in and around the Houston area and submit to gallery exhibitions when I can.