I am an Art Education major graduating in 2021. In my college career, I have found a new love for oil painting, ceramics, and collage, and continue to learn new things about myself and my art career as time goes on. Overall, I enjoy working with 2D mediums best, as I find more flexibility and joy through them. As an artist, I show my artistic influences in my work, influenced by a myriad of cultures and important periods of art history such as Rococo style, a heavy influence of Japanese pop culture from my childhood, and an ever growing list of artists whose work I cannot get enough of. I convey deep, meaningful subjects in my work through the lens of my personal identity and aesthetic, which I feel provides viewers with a unique perspective on a variety of subjects. Lately, I have been particularly interested in self portraiture and how it can be shown both in literal portraits and figurative pieces such as landscapes. I have begun creating self portraits where I photograph myself in my most vulnerable states, such as while I am in the midst of an anxiety attack, and then relay that emotion through various mediums. Recently, I created a portrait in charcoal of myself during an attack, where I portrayed myself in total darkness, staring at the viewer with a numb expression.  I find that through artwork, I can express these emotions in ways that can physically affect the viewer, which makes for a more impactful work. 

I first found a love for art while visiting my grandfather, who is an oil painter, in upstate New York as a kid. I would spend hours watching him paint in his studio, asking questions and watching him use different tools to create his works. As I grew older, I started focusing my skills on artmaking, painting, drawing, and crafting every chance I got. When I reached middle school, I began finding influences in the pop culture I consumed. I would create works based on these aesthetics, enjoying the exploration of finding my style and preferred medium. As I reached high school, I started to narrow down my medium to 2D works: painting using acrylics and drawing both cartoons and detailed portraits. As I honed my craft, I found that I also enjoyed some sculptural works and jewelry making as well. As I reached my college decision making, I found myself realizing that I had a passion to teach, which drove me to find my dream school and start my career in art education.  This passion drove me to pursue a career that many would pass on due to unease of salary, because being passionate is the cornerstone to having a fulfilling career and life.