b. 1988; illinois, usa
pronouns? they/she
favorite food? vegetables. all the vegetables. put the garden on my plate.
spirit animal? it’s always changing but my first one was a cricket. insect girly for life 🦗
what did you want to be when you grew up? a meteorologist // storm chaser (thanks, twister)
what did you study? i have a masters in human computer interaction design from indiana university - bloomington. you can see some of my design work here.
when did you start making art? since i was little my mom was teaching me art and signing me up for art classes.
why did you not go to art school? i was bored by the initial drawing labs where i would have to sit and draw my hand for 3 hours. i also didnt want to do all the homework cuz i wanted to party. i kinda regret that. but ultimately, getting an education in design was great and has helped in so many ways in my life, beyond the design profession, and i have no regrets about that.
what artists were you first inspired by? george o’keefe, charlie houska, looney tunes, shel silverstein.
what artists inspire you today? many many, but art-wise i’m pretty obsessed with ben styers work. feels so nostalgic for me. also marine buffard is an incredible illustrator doing beautiful animation work. design-wise, lauren traugott-campbell’s design direction for Jacobin Magazine is so impressive. also always been a fan of jessica hische and her lettering work. i also just randomly met her in oakland where i used to rent an art space, so that was cool for me :)
what are your strengths as an artist and designer? i don’t often run dry when it comes to ideas. i enjoy the creative aspect of problem solving. i tend to be a pretty sensitive and open soul, which i think are important aspects when it comes to play and creating from a more somatic-based state. that openness also helps me when it comes to learning from other people and what they feel when they see my art and design work. i like receiving feedback. i also feel i have a good balance of being intuitive and being intellectual. not going all one way or the other i think is a positive.
what medium do you enjoy creating in the most? i draw the most but i wouldn’t say it’s the medium i enjoy the most. it really depends on the context or which medium feels most appropriate to express whatever it is that feels like it wants to be expressed in that moment. my primary mediums though are: drawing, graphic design, dance/movement, and painting. i dabble in DIY fashion and music making. i would like to find ways to weave some of them together more, but i don’t know how yet.
what inspires you? expressionism. creating from whatever state or condition i’m in, and having art be a somatic experience for me to help move whatever it is that i’m feeling in my body. also my environment often inspires me, like what around me is resonating with my senses? what am i observing that is stirring something inside of me? resourcefulness, DIY, upcycling, lofi culture excites me. it feels like it releases the pressure valve on creativity. like what resources do i have around me that i can play with? what can i create out of this instead of buying new? you often end up with something cooler and more unique than anything you would have bought new, and as someone who has moved around a lot, it can be a beautiful reflection of wherever you are in the world.
what else do you do when you’re not making art? laying on earth somewhere, likely turning off your overhead lights that are too bright and turning on a lamp instead, probably also rearranging your space (if you let me), probably cooking and eating, updating this collaborative digital garden, drinking green tea for the fourth time today, floating in water or floating someone else in water, hopefully dancing somewhere to good music, staring at fire, redesigning this website for the 1000th time, eating dark chocolate first thing in the morning… to name a few.
are you having fun interviewing yourself? it feels a bit silly, but yes i am. this felt more casual and fun to me than writing a bio.