About Me
After a career in design, I found my true passion in teaching and helping others discover the joy of creating.
My creative journey began with my childhood love of textile art and led me to earn a BFA in Textile Design from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). After graduating, I spent several years working professionally in New York and Los Angeles as a textile, handbag, and accessories designer, creating products and designs for both independent artists and larger fashion companies. Alongside my design career, I continued developing my own artistic practice through sewing, illustration, sculpture, and mixed media. My experiences as both an artist and designer continue to shape the way I approach creativity, emphasizing thoughtful craftsmanship, problem-solving, and the value of making things by hand.
While working as a designer, I found myself continually drawn into the education world as I spent weekends teaching local sewing workshops and participating in various community art programs. Those experiences made me realize that my greatest fulfillment came not only from creating art, but from helping others discover their own creative abilities. Thus, I decided to leave the design world to pursue teaching art full time.
Today, I teach art to junior high students at Santa Cruz Montessori School. I also am currently working towards earning my Masters and Teaching Credential through the Academy of Art University.
Originally from Santa Cruz, California, I feel most at home surrounded by nature, creativity, and community. Outside the classroom and studio, you'll often find me camping, gardening, exploring the California coast, sewing, or spending time with my dachshund, Moose.
My mother was a Montessori primary teacher and I attended Santa Cruz Montessori School for my first 13 years of life, so it only makes sense that I've found myself back home, now teaching at that same school.
I believe some of life's best learning happens through curiosity, making things with our hands, and taking the time to notice the world around us. Those values continue to guide both my artwork and my teaching.