At 32, after a prophylactic double mastectomy, two reconstructions, and seven chest surgeries, I chose to dream without limits. That mindset has guided every chapter of my life: serving on city council, advocating for special education, making Team USA and competing in the age group sprint duathlon 2023 World Championship, and now pursuing my greatest dream…sharing and selling my art.

I hold two studio art degrees and a master’s from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. But beyond credentials, I am a mother of three, an athlete, an artist, and a wife who creates from lived resilience. My painting professor once told me I would never become a great artist because I lacked ego and poetry. I’ve embraced those words as fuel. My work rejects elitism and instead speaks with authenticity, courage, and determination. I believe that greatness in art comes not from ego, but from vision, truth, and persistence.

Two years ago, after moving my easel from room to room, and even painting in our bedroom, my husband encouraged me to find a studio space. I began with 186 square feet, essentially a closet, and recently moved into a gallery and studio triple that size. That growth represents more than space; it represents the expansion of my art practice and my commitment to the creative process.

I work primarily in oil and acrylic painting, drawing, and mixed media. Influenced by artists Joan Mitchell, Cy Twombly, Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Charlie Harper, and Andy Warhol, I embrace shifting medias, styles, and content. This constant exploration keeps me on a journey of investigation, evolution, and growth…one that fuels both my art and my life.