Are you from Indy originally?

Originally I’m from Denver, Colorado. But we moved to Indianapolis when I was 1-2 years old so I’ve basically been here my whole life!

When did you show interest in art?

I’ve felt called to create art since I was able to pick up a pencil. Whenever anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I was older as a kid, the answer was always an artist.

When did you start to pursue it more heavily?

I realized I wanted to pursue it more heavily when I was a junior in high school. It was around the time counselors and teachers started pushing the idea of college to us. All I knew was that if I was going to college, I wanted to study art. It was sort of like a wake-up call for me to focus on what would really make me happy in the long term.

What are somethings and people who influence you?

Nature inspires me a lot. So does just everyday life experiences, and the way they make me feel. Traveling and new experiences. I listen to music alot when I create and I think that also plays a big role in influencing my art while im creating it.

I know that from looking at your work it seems you’re at a point where you draw face primarily, what steered you towards only drawing faces?

When I started drawing more consistently in my early teen years, I’d watch drawing tutorials on YouTube and I started off drawing faces and bodies because It just seemed to make the most sense at the time. But once I got the hang of drawing faces, that’s all I felt called to create. Occasionally I’ll draw other things but faces are usually my main subject.

Do you use references for your drawings?

I’ve gotten to a point where I have a specific style of faces that I’ve drawn so many times to where I don’t need a reference for those. But when drawing a self portrait or anything else that’s not that specific style of face, absolutely!

Do these faces have a name?

No, I’m actually still working on a way to describe the faces as well. As for now, I usually describe them as “abstract faces”.

When was the first time your art was on display?

- how did that make you feel?

- did it encourage you to do more and show more of your work?

The first time my art was ever displayed was at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum when I was in Kindergarten around Halloween time. I remember it was a drawing contest for best haunted house, and I won 3rd place. It was also the first time I’ve submitted my art into a contest. But to have my art recognized by a larger audience as a young child made me feel very accomplished. Especially since I would always say I want to be an artist when adults ask. I think in the long run it did encourage me to create more art and show it to others, because growing up and teaching myself to draw I’d always think back to that accomplishment when I got discouraged.

What mediums do you primarily use?

- would you be open to using new and different ones?

I mostly use pencil, pen & watercolor. I’m a little familiar with oil paints & I’m starting to get more into digital art using Procreate. I am 100% open to using new and different mediums! I love exploring new mediums and creating using new materials.

What are some struggles you deal with as an artists?

For me being able to articulate and talk about my art can be a bit intimidating because most times when I start a piece I have no idea of how it’s going to turn out which can make it hard to describe. I usually get an idea for an art piece very randomly and have to create it as soon as possible. After it’s created, it’s more of me trying to figure out what that piece means to me. Finding balance between working full time, creating art, and being active in the art community has also been an ongoing challenge.

What are some of your favorite things about being an artist?

One of my most favorite things about being an artist is getting into what some might call the “flow state”. A lot of the times when creating, i feel the most present. When I’m drawing or painting and get super focused, I feel like I’m tapped into a whole different level of awareness. Like I’m aware of every little thing happening around me, aware of my body, breathing and at the same time I’m focused on every detail of whatever I’m creating. That’s the best way I can describe it. It allows me to enjoy the process a lot more. Another thing I love about being an artist is being able to physically see my progress as an artist. Something about looking back at art I created a year ago, three years ago, ten years ago is super rewarding/satisfying and is one of the things that keeps me going. I love having creative freedom when it comes to art, and basically being able to do whatever I want. I love just having the ability to communicate an idea visually. I love hearing others’ interpretations of my art. Sometimes it takes other peoples perspectives to see my art in a new light or realize something new.

Do you feel like creating art is a muscle you have to keep using?

-how often do you draw?

If you have a dream of being a “successful” artist (whatever that means to you), then yes absolutely. Practice makes improvement, and even if you just want to improve as in artist I think you definitely should practice consistently. I try to draw everyday once a day, even if it’s just a quick 5 minute sketch.

How does your art make you feel?

- how do you want your art to make OTHERS feel?

My art makes me feel introspective and hopeful. I hope it makes others feel that way too. I hope it makes others want to learn more about themselves, question the things around them, and love them selves little more. I dream that there are people who dream about my art, whether they’ve seen my art before or not. I create for those people.

What are some of your goals you have for your and your art?

Here are just a few things I feel called to do as an artist:

• -I dream of one day doing a mural, and seeing my art on a bigger scale.

• -To build or be apart of a strong network of collectors, artists and dealers.

• -To collaborate with other artists.

• -To inspire young artists to just create whatever they want to.

• -To have my art showcased in different galleries nationally and internationally.

• -To one day be able to work out my own artist studio.

• -To be able to make a living off of my art.