I am a California native, born in San Francisco, grew up in Marin County, and now living in Sonoma County. I've been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember, with art always being a part of my life and an integral part of who I am. Growing up, working as an artist full time was never held in high esteem by my family, so I worked at traditional jobs, with creativity and making art always secretly what I lived for each day. In 2009, my personal life completely changed, leaving me free to be more public with my passion for creating art. The mental and emotional 'fight' between who I was expected to be and who I really am ended. When I paint, I start out with one idea, and let the paint and moment in time take over, working to bring out the beauty that I see in my mind's eye. I very often look back at a painting and am surprised the richness, the intricacy of the colors, and the way it all comes together to produce a work that is pleasing to me. My goal is to paint pictures that move me, and hopefully move others.