My Story 

I remember back in 2016, I didn't enjoy my life.  I had been working in a high-performance, stressful environment, care-taking for my sick mom at night and spending time with my kiddo, also at night, trying to keep all the balls in the air, feeling like they could crash down at any second.  

I knew what I was doing was unsustainable, but honestly, I didn't know of any other way to do it at that point, and I really had no time or energy to figure it out.  I had a young child, husband and parents counting on me. 

So I just continued, feeling hopeless that circumstances would ever change but also hoping that my external circumstances would change, because that to me was the only way I was going to be able to enjoy my life again. 

I didn't realize at the time:

• the choices that I had
• my value as I was relying on others to validate me
• the cost I was incurring by not taking care of myself

because:

• there was more to do than time in the day
• other people had needs I needed to meet

so I kept de-prioritizing myself because I didn't see another option.

I had quit any creative outlet when kiddo was born, and I had no functional way to process what was going on and I wasn't taking time to do something I enjoyed.

It had become very clear that I needed to spend some time figuring things out, a more sustainable way of living, one where I had peace, felt connected to myself so I could be present and enjoy my life and be engaged in my relationships and find meaning in my work again.

So I started a journey of trying to figure it out, trying to understand how to build my life back up in a sustainable way.. a way that would help me weather the storms I didn't invite and yet showed up anyway - like cancer, death, job loss, etc.,  while also allowing me to be present playing soccer, baking or painting with my kiddo, having conversations with other people, and taking care of myself in a way that I feel good about who I am while having clarity about who I am meant to be and what I was made to do here on Earth. 

And so, after a conversation with my mom, I bought a $10 watercolor set and started painting.  I started painting what I needed to paint, what I wanted to paint, what was important to me, what I was struggling with, what I needed to figure out and the vision for the future. 

It was this painting practice that got me through my mother's death a year later, a stronger relationship with God, a more present relationship with my husband and son, into some pretty awesome conversations with friends, coworkers/boss and strangers about the important things in life, and learning to love myself with all my faults and appreciate my strengths at the same time. 

And looking back at that time, and hearing feedback from people as I tell my story, I have had the realization that....

My painting practice was what was missing in my life and was the thing that helped me along this journey called life. 

My painting practice helped me get perspective about the past and current situations, clarity about who I am and what I was meant to do and be, courage to take action regardless of what anybody else thought, and helped me find meaning in my life again. 

And my painting practice has helped me develop my own art workshops that help people to go on their own journey based on some of the experiences that I've had that are customized to what they need to hear and know.  

And I want that for you. 

I want you to have an outlet that:

• helps you to express yourself
• helps you to process what is going on
• is healthy for you and the people that matter the most to you
• gives you the ability to up-level your work and personal life, and you showing up in both.   

Because my vision is for people to be able to live their lives fully alive, no matter what they have been through, because they have come out the other side, and can now help others not as far along in their journey. 

I believe that you were made to feel connected and live your life feeling truly alive.  

You were made to create.

Get to Know Me