My work centers around vibrant, whimsical, empowered women, doing exactly what they want to do! They remind me of my mother, my sister, my soulmates, and best friends. I am inspired by the power of sisterhood, and the beauty, love, silliness, sexiness, and mystique that women bring to the world. My paintings are representative of my transformation from a people-pleaser to an empowered woman. I’m still learning to find my place in the world, and this work inspires me to be confident and vulnerable, to speak my truth, and to take up space, unapologetically.

I was born and raised in the South, when children were to “be seen and not heard”. I was a deeply sensitive child and had difficulties standing up for myself. Being averse to conflict, I became a “people pleaser”.

My love of the arts was instilled in me by my mother, who exposed me to museums, music, and the theater, from an early age. She saw an artist in me and always supported and encouraged my creativity. As a visual person who didn’t think her words mattered, I have always expressed myself through my clothes, makeup, costumes, acting, and artwork. I was especially drawn to painting and loved the feeling of freedom it gave me. Visual expression is much less complicated for me than words, and allowed me to be seen when I felt I should not be heard.

I had my first son when I was 18, and my second son shortly after. As a young single mom, I struggled to make ends meet. The sudden onslaught of responsibility and struggle pushed all creative outlets to the back-burner, and whilst the desire to create was always churning inside me, time and logistics simply did not allow for it.

After moving to Austin, TX, in 2010, my universe began its upward trajectory. Through a series of fortuitous events, I was able to co-found and build a successful events business, which allowed me to provide for my children in ways I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to. Being a part of a growing business, from the ground up, has given me insight into entrepreneurship, and the expansive art of creating meaningful experiences for people.

As my children got older and more independent, I started to dream about the next chapter of my life. I wanted to build a new foundation for myself, based on mental, spiritual, and emotional wellness, and began to invest in my creativity again. A lot of deep personal work led me back to my paint brushes. I missed them! Once again, they were the perfect tool for me to express all the complicated emotions that are difficult to verbalize.

I trust my process and allow the magic to flow through me when I’m creating. I rarely know what I’m going to paint when I sit down at the canvas. I love working in this structure-less setting and watching my paintings take on a life of their own!