HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Art has been the basis of my creative journey, starting in a special place in Irvine, California where I took Renaissance Art classes when I was just 10 years old. The studio is still there today, and it holds such vivid memories for me. I fell deeply in love with oil painting, though it was arguably the most challenging medium I worked with. There was something magical about how it never quite set because it takes over a full week to dry. I learned to work with its stubborn nature, and that challenge became part of its allure.
Happy Mistakes, More ThAN ONE MediUM
For me, switching mediums between watercolors, oil pastels, chalk pastels, and oils wasn't just about learning techniques. Each medium taught me something profound about trusting my creative instincts. Oil painting, especially, showed me that mistakes aren't really mistakes at all. When the paint stayed wet and workable for days, I learned to see these "mistakes" as invitations to discover new directions. Watercolor taught me that even though the paint dries, and it's impossible to go back, you can create depth around an accidental brush stroke that was once a big mistake. I gained a deep trust in my intuition over time and I understood that sometimes the best creative decisions come from embracing the unexpected.
CONVERSATIONAL CRITIQUES
What really helped to shape me were the relationships in that art studio. The feedback from my teachers and fellow artists taught me about perception. We created this supportive space where critique became a conversation, where every suggestion opened new possibilities. These experiences flow directly into my professional work. When I'm collaborating with teams or iterating on designs, I'm drawing on those same skills of patient exploration and open dialogue that I first learned with a paintbrush in my hand. I hope to apply these skillsets in future job roles that allow for more creativity and continual growth.
