For me, art is everything experienced in life, it is a part of me.
From the glossy illuminated pages of our family Bible to my grandfather’s coffee table book of the masters, art has been the language through which I understand beauty, truth, and ultimately, God. It made me more human. It gave life its spark.
As a disenfranchised teen, my art teacher quietly entered my work into competitions. I’d place, and he’d tell me I belonged in the art club. But I didn’t yet understand that belonging wasn’t just about talent—it was about answering a call.
That call became clear in college when I fell deeply in love with painting, faith, and the creative act itself. I graduated from Arizona State University with a BFA in Studio Art with an emphasis in art education.
I painted six-foot canvases during Midwest winters. I paused to raise a family and support professional career moves. I tried—unsuccessfully—to choose something other than art. But creativity always returned. It’s not optional for me.
After a significant health setback, I found my way back through writing. Writing led to teaching. Teaching led to painting again. And when our family finally settled, I knew: it was time to pursue this calling fully.
In the past year, I’ve published an illustrated children’s book, completed over 30 paintings, and founded St. Michael’s Arts Academy—a faith-centered art education program for families. Everything I’ve lived—the joy, the beauty, the loss, the warmth—has prepared me to create the work I make today.
My mission is simple: to help families form hearts for truth, goodness, and beauty. Because art doesn’t just decorate our homes—it shapes our souls. And in a world that desperately needs beauty, I believe that what we place before our eyes, and our children’s eyes, forms who we become.
This is why I create. This is why I teach. This is why I write. So that beauty can spread, love can grow, and more families can discover what I discovered: that art is a path to the sacred.