Artist, educator, and student. I began my schooling in fine and applied arts by working to capture and intrigue the art community. I gather much of my inspiration from personal experiences, the courses I enlisted in, cultures both on campus and around the world, and art historical research. As an artist, I choose to work with a variety of materials including ink, charcoal, and oil painting. My art embodies some of my own life experiences and moments as a student, which wouldn’t have been possible without some of the faculty and peer artists around the Midwest. When considering my role as an art educator, I choose every day to create a learning environment for my students and I that addresses the needs of growing artists in a world of diverse creativity. Finding and making personal connections with a diverse array of materials and mediums has the ability to serve learners and develop their artistic practices with fellow students, educators, community, as well as their personal creative spirit.