My work explores the beauty of self-discovery and celebrates the hopeful spirit and the journey many of us take to find ourselves and learn things along the way. When we were young, we had a sense of adventure, boundless energy, and imagination that could create the most wondrous things. As we grow, we experience many tribulations of life, and those influences can cause those glorious attributes to dwindle.

My acrylic paintings visualize the contrasting worlds between our whimsical imagination and reality, which can bring many obstacles. My colorful and vibrant backdrops appear more two-dimensional, inspired by the days of morning cartoons and comics. At the same time, the figures in the foreground are handled with a rendered approach that keeps them grounded in the setting and represents the real world. The subject matter can range from growing up in a tumultuous environment to learning to deal with your emotions and how that can be challenging. Still, we must carry on by veiling ourselves or creating a beautiful illusion for protection from our sometimes-harsh reality.