My Story

I've always been an artist.

Long before I became an author, speaker, or therapeutic arts practitioner, creating was simply how I understood the world. It was where I explored ideas, solved problems, and found a sense of quiet in the midst of uncertainty.

That relationship with creativity took on a new meaning in 2016 when, while five months pregnant with my second son, I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. What began as an unexpected diagnosis eventually became a battle with metastatic cancer, forcing me to navigate treatment while learning how to be both a mother and a patient.

Like many survivors, I eventually reached a place where the scans were clear—but I realized survival wasn't the finish line. It was the beginning of a different journey: rebuilding identity, processing what had happened, and discovering who I was becoming after cancer.

During those years, I interviewed more than one hundred young mothers facing cancer. Their stories became the foundation of my book, Canvas of Courage, revealing something I had experienced myself: healing isn't only physical. It is emotional, creative, relational, and deeply human.

Today, that understanding shapes everything I create.

Whether I'm painting in my studio, writing, speaking, or facilitating therapeutic arts workshops, my work explores themes of connection, protection, resilience, and hope. I believe creativity offers us something unique—not because it solves our problems, but because it gives us a place to process them.

You don't need to be an artist to benefit from creativity. You simply need the willingness to begin.

My hope is that whether you encounter one of my paintings, read Canvas of Courage, attend a workshop, or hear me speak, you'll leave feeling just a little more connected—to yourself, to others, and to the possibilities that emerge when we create.

Artist Statement

My creative process continually evolves, balancing technical skill with the freedom of “the unlearned.” Each work unfolds in layers—like peeling an onion—revealing deeper explorations of universal human desires for acceptance, love, and protection. I am drawn to boundaries, fascinated by their definitions, and often compelled to break or reimagine them.

Through texture, color, and layered strokes, my work embodies a playful yet structured sense of chaos. While the materials I use varies across series, my methodology remains consistent: each body of work is guided by its own subject matter, which determines the materials, forms, and approaches I employ.

Why I Do This

Whether someone discovers my work through a painting, Canvas of Courage, a workshop, or a keynote, my hope is always the same—to create experiences that invite reflection, connection, and hope.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about my work. I'm grateful you're here.