For many years the idea of a blank page, canvas, panel, etc was terrifying and my perfectionism and fear of making “bad art” kept me from following my intuition and taking creative risks. Up until my senior year of college, I focused on photography as my only form of creative expression. For my senior capstone project, I finally took a step outside of my comfort zone by choosing printmaking as my medium. I quickly fell in love with the tactile experience of carving woodblocks.

After graduating, I experimented with smaller scale block prints and various monoprinting techniques. In 2020, I began block printing on textiles and opened my first online store. For three years I centered my creative practice around selling a collection of tea towels and napkins online, at markets, and to local retailers. I loved the experience of running a creative business and working for myself, but the designs I was creating still didn’t feel like a true expression of my creativity.

In the Spring of 2023, I bought myself a set of acrylic paints and a new sketchbook. I dug around my studio for some old brushes and various mark making tools, and started painting. 

I’m not exactly sure what made me go buy those paints, but for the first time, I stared to feel like I was making the work I was meant to make. I’ve been following that feeling ever since, allowing my intuition guide me.